Our healthcare should not be up for debate every four years. Decisions about our health should come from doctors, not corporations looking to make a profit. Families shouldn’t go bankrupt because someone gets injured or sick. People in rural communities should have access to the same care at the same price as people who live in cities. 

Unfortunately, in Oregon these are problems we face. In fact, roughly 243,000 Oregonians remain completely uninsured. And 15% skip needed care because of cost. One in eight households reports that medical costs have consumed most or all of their savings. The U.S. spends far more on healthcare per person than any other wealthy nation, yet we live shorter, less healthy lives.

The good news is these problems are completely fixable with universal healthcare — care that’s affordable and available to every Oregonian regardless of income, job, location or background. Universal healthcare relies on medical professionals, not CEOs, to decide what’s best for patients.

Leading the way in the U.S., Oregonians voted in 2022 to make healthcare a fundamental right in our state constitution. The Universal Health Plan Governance Board is working on a plan to establish universal healthcare in Oregon in the next few years — but to be successful, the plan needs the support of citizens.

I urge others to join me in this effort to bring affordable medical care to every Oregonian. 

To find out more, attend an event, submit a comment or volunteer, go to HCAO.org. 

Nancy Johnson
Eugene