State of Oregon Archives: on Health Care

Bud Pierce: Subsidize "adequate" insurance for low-income Oregonians

Bud Pierce: Fight any one-size-fits-all single-payer healthcare system

Casey Kulla: Create a public option plan as part of insurance marketplace

Behavioral and dental care are the most common unmet health needs in most of our communities. The current healthcare system fails to reach the populations with the highest burden of disease, leading to health disparities and illness. We can prevent illness and reduce health disparity in high-risk communities by integrating dental and behavior health into the primary care setting, in a culturally appropriate way and in the patient's language.

Casey Kulla: Ensure affirming healthcare for transgender Oregonians

Christine Drazan: Repeal COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates

Jason Conger: Delay health plan cancellations due to ObamaCare

"We were promised that 'If you like your health care plan, you'll be able to keep it,' " Conger said. "Millions of Americans, and over 140,000 Oregonians, are now finding out that it is not true and are losing their health insurance coverage. We need to do whatever we can at the state level to help individuals and families who are losing their health insurance coverage in just a few weeks."

"It is outrageous that 140,000 Oregonians will be forced out of the health plan they chose, despite the promises that were made," explained Rep. Conger. "I plan on meeting with my colleagues to find a way to help the families that have been impacted by the ObamaCare roll out."

Jason Conger: State-run Cover Oregon exchange better than ObamaCare

Conger once again insisted that he voted for Cover Oregon not because he supported the federal law but because he thought it would be better to have a state-run exchange than to be part of the federal exchange, as is the case with several other states.

He even took the step of brandishing an opinion from the legislative counsel noting that state legislators didn't have a say in approving the new federal law. "I think that it is time that we stop with misinformation," Conger said, "and we start being transparent and honest with voters."

Jason Conger: Opposes "Cover Oregon" and state-run insurance exchanges

Conger said he thought that approach was better than having Oregonians go into the national health exchange set up under the new federal health care exchange. It was a "hard choice between two bad options," he said.

Jeff Merkley: AdWatch: Targeted by RNC robocalls for support of ObamaCare

The targets besides Merkley are Reps. Gary Peters (MI) and Bruce Braley (IA), Sens. Mark Warner (VA), Mark Begich (AK), Dick Durbin (IL), Kay Hagan (NC), Mary Landrieu (LA), Mark Pryor (AR), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), and Mark Udall (CO). The robocall script reads:

"President Obama and the Democrats said you could keep your healthcare plan under ObamaCare. Now we know [SENATOR] actually VOTED to make it more difficult. Call [SENATOR] at (XXX)-XXX-XXX & ask why [he/she] lied."

The robocalls are a response to Democrats launching the "GOP Shutdown Watch" campaign, highlighting Republican senate candidates who supported the partial federal government shutdown.

Jeff Merkley: 2009: "Keep your insurance"; 2014: fix ObamaCare so you can

Merkley acknowledged in November that he and other supporters of the new law did not foresee how it would fail to prevent a wave of cancellations of existing policies. The senator also joined other Democrats in sponsoring a bill that would allow consumers to keep existing policies if they wanted.

The new Wehby video features footage of a Sept. 4, 2009 town hall meeting in which Merkley said: "You would have the choice of sticking with the plan you have. If you like it, it will be absolutely there." The ad ends with a catchy slogan: "Keep your doctor. Change your senator."

A Merkley spokeswoman said that the senator has worked to fix problems with the new law rather than simply undo the new federal health care law.

Jeff Merkley: I couldn't enroll in ObamaCare, but it'll eventually succeed

The senator said he still hasn't been able to finish enrolling his own family through Cover Oregon, although he said afterwards that he is still has insurance for the time being through his existing congressional plan. Under the new law, members of Congress are required to get their coverage through the exchanges.

Merkley said he continues to believe the new law is still on balance a positive because it has expanded coverage to large numbers of previously uninsured people. "We're going to have some success stories, we're going to have some failure stories," said Merkley. "We have to work on it."

Jo Rae Perkins: ObamaCare alternative so medical insurance won't skyrocket

A: Yes. The cost of medical insurance has skyrocketed. There are still millions of citizens 'uninsured'. My website has a paper on alternatives to ObamaCare and other insurance issues.

Jo Rae Perkins: Parents have the right to choose not to vaccinate kids

Jo Rae Perkins: COVID: Against lockdown: "That is a communist country"

Jo Rae Perkins: No masks; I don't need to be a doctor--I know how to read

"Do you see one?" Perkins replied.

"I do not. But what's your answer?"

"No," Perkins said

"Why not?"

"They do absolutely nothing to protect you," she said confidently.

So I asked, "How do you know that? Are you a scientist?"

"No, I don't need to be a scientist. I've done tons of reading," Perkins retorted.

"Oh. Are you a doctor?" I asked.

"I don't need to be a doctor either. I know how to read," she said with a chuckle.

Julian Bell: Obtain efficiencies through single payer or equivalent

Kate Brown: Fund care for infants; disabled; seniors; & Oregon citizens

Brown indicates support of the following principles concerning Oregon's health care system.
• Expand state funding for pre-natal and infant care programs available in the state, including immunizations.
• Provide tax incentives to assist small businesses in providing health care to their employees.
• Ensure that Oregon citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
• Provide state assistance to seniors and the disabled in having access to home and community-based health care.
• Continue the Oregon Health Plan which ensures state-funded basic health care to Oregon citizens.
• Support legislation requiring health insurance providers to cover alternative medical care (e.g. chiropractors, herbalists).

Kate Brown: Access to healthcare improving, but there is more we must do

Kate Brown: Access, affordability, and quality of healthcare are improving in Oregon, but there is clearly more we must do. One of my priorities as governor is to continue expanding healthcare access so every Oregonian has options no matter their age, gender, economic status or where they are from. It is clear we need to protect funding for Oregon's health plan so the thousands of people who rely on it can continue receiving benefits. Furthermore, I support policies that encourage the recruitment of more qualified workers and ongoing training so patients and family caregivers can feel assured they're receiving the best care.

William (Bud) Pierce: We should encourage the development of private, lightly regulated (to lower the cost), but good quality respite centers.

Kate Brown: Ensure health care for all: expand Oregon Health Plan

Kevin Stine: We need real healthcare reform, like single-payer

A: Strongly support. We need real healthcare reform, such as a single-payer system.

Knute Buehler: Single-payer health care as a qualified not absolute right

Mark Callahan: Full repeal of ObamaCare / WydenCare

The government should not be involved in the health care decisions of Americans. An example of government injecting itself into our health care decisions is what Sarah Palin referred to as "Death Panels" also known as the IPAB Board. Health care decisions should be between a doctor and a patient, that is it!

I am a conservative and a believer in limited government. The President lied to us as Americans. Those in Congress that voted for ObamaCare, including Ron Wyden, sold us a bill of goods that can only be described as Socialism, which is not what our country was founded to be over 200 years ago as a constitutional republic. Our country is based on Freedom. The Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. "ObamaCare" a.k.a "WydenCare" is not freedom, it is evil, it is tyranny, and it needs to be fully Repealed.

Mark Callahan: Opposes "Cover Oregon" and state-run insurance exchanges

Conger said he thought that approach was better than having Oregonians go into the national health exchange set up under the new federal health care exchange. It was a "hard choice between two bad options," he said.

Monica Wehby: Prominent and early opponent of ObamaCare

150,000 people have had their health insurance plans cancelled in Oregon. Premiums have increased. Medicare Advantage benefits for our state's seniors have been cut. The Obama administration is constantly changing its rules and regulations and delaying its mandates. As one person told her, "The Affordable Care Act has made my health insurance un-affordable."

This system is so flawed that it needs to be repealed and replaced with a patient-centered, market-based approach like the one Monica outlined in November of 2013 that increases access that is actually affordable.

Monica Wehby: We need more MDs and fewer JDs in Congress

Wehby, whose compensation at Legacy Emanuel has topped $1 million a year, countered that Conger was the one who has been squishy on opposing the new federal health care law.

And she was quick to insist that Congress needed fewer career politicians and "more MDs and less JDs," the latter being a reference to those, like Conger, with law degrees.

Wehby said, "It sounds a lot to me like those politicians who voted for ObamaCare and Cover Oregon and who are all of a sudden leading the charge to get rid of the laws they voted for in the first place," she said. "That's not me." She was clearly referring to the votes Conger took in the state Legislature to establish a state-run health exchange known as Cover Oregon under the terms of the federal health care law.

Monica Wehby: I was against ObamaCare when it wasn't cool

"I was against ObamaCare when it wasn't cool to be against ObamaCare," replied Wehby, noting that she appeared in a 2009 ad opposing the health care plan before it became law. She also insisted that Wyden's plan had several important differences from ObamaCare: "It was not the same as ObamaCare," she said. "It's a free market-based approach. It had bipartisan support, and it was budget neutral. That is a far cry from ObamaCare."

Nicholas Kristof: Poor mental healthcare, wages, housing are major problems

Paul Romero: END and DEFUND Obamacare

Let's keep this simple--
• END Obamacare - DEFUND Obamacare
• Religious Liberty
• No Mandatory Vaccines

Paul Romero: ObamaCare made things worse for 350 million Americans

Tate Reeves: Ensure everyone has access to affordable health care

Tina Kotek: We will move the needle on more recovery services

A: We now have the marijuana dollars flowing out into communities from Measure 110 [which allocates cannabis tax revenue to addiction treatment services]. We will move the needle on more recovery services. In terms of how we got here, it was [lack of] resources. Behavioral health services are always kind of the stepchild of the health care system. Q: Why are Oregon's outcomes for K-12 students so poor?

A: Our numbers are improving. Prior to the pandemic, graduation rates were on the rise. The key is increased accountability and transparency in how the new Student Success Act dollars are being spent. We were very specific. We want to make sure that the social, emotional well-being of students is better addressed through counselors and nurses and other folks who could be in the schools to help students be successful.

Tobias Read: Strongly supports vaccine mandates by businesses, schools

Winona LaDuke: Moms know we need an affordable health care system

Winona LaDuke: Aid to families is sacrificed in favor of military aid

Betsy Johnson: Expand mental health services, especially in schools

Betsy Johnson: No to government take-over of the health care system

Tina Kotek: Eliminate the backlog at Oregon's health licensing boards

Ensuring that students have adequate access to behavioral health services in and out of school settings is critical to supporting children and their families. That includes specific supports for mental health and substance abuse, including targeted residential and community-based treatment capacity, and suicide prevention programming. When a young person develops an addiction, we need residential facilities that can care for them and help them manage the factors that led them to substance use.

Jeff Merkley: Republicans slash health care for millions of Americans