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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2018)
Page 4 January 3, 2018 Healthcare on the Line c ontinueD from f ront election of President Trump. Voting “no” would jeopardize health insurance coverage for up to 350,000 Oregonians who would otherwise qualify under the Oregon Health Plan. But op- ponents say it would force law- makers to figure out a way to fund the healthcare program from other revenue sources. The special election came about after three Republican rep- resentatives, Julie Parrish of West Linn, Sal Esquivel of Medford, and Cedric Hayden of Roseburg pooled their resources to help gather nearly 85,000 signatures to refer the bill to a vote. Patty Wentz, an advocate from Yes for Healthcare, which also includes the Oregon AARP, Ore- gon Nurses Association, Oregon Medical Association, and Oregon School Boards Association, told the Portland Observer that if Mea- sure 101 is passed, premiums will decrease by about $300 a year for people who buy their own cover- age -- that’s folks who aren’t cov- ered by an employers’ insurance plan. And it would fund Medicaid, which 1 in 4 Oregonians count on, including 400,000 kids. “It’s very important for every- one to vote,” she said. “Healthcare is at stake.” Christy Similia, a registered nurse who endorses Measure 101, said passing the ballot would pro- tect health care coverage for pa- tients and stabilize the insurance market. “When families don’t have cov- erage, a single hospitalization can throw them into a financial spiral it can take years to get out of. Having a coalition of more than 160 orga- nizations shows that Oregonians believe that everyone in our state deserves health care,” she said. Another voice in the wave of support comes from the chief executive officer and president of Central City Concern, Rachel Solotaroff, who is also a physi- cian. The organization provides facilitates healthcare, affordable supportive housing, supportive employment, and peer support to help move people out of home- lessness, overcome their addic- tion, and become thriving mem- bers of the community. She told the Portland Observer that passage of the measure will mean that 4,500 healthcare clients who suffer from a mental illness and are served by the organization will be able to receive medication, counseling, and case manage- ment to get off the street and build meaningful lives. If the Medicaid funding falls through, she said, it would be more costly for everybody, not just low income folks. “What we will see is all these people that I described to you who don’t have care will start seeking it in really expensive ways and that cost will shift back to the taxpayer. So by investing in af- fordable health care for all Ore- gonians, you’re not only doing the right thing for the quality of life of everybody in our state, your also making the smarter financial deci- sion for yourself, as a taxpayer,” Solotaroff said. Portland’s Resistance said vot- ing yes will help supplement a gap in health coverage that the Trump administration is trying to make wider by undercutting the Afford- able Care Act. The group argues that a lack of healthcare access disproportionately impacts people of color and the working class. “Portland’s Resistance envi- sions a just society which pro- vides access to health services for all of its members throughout their lifetimes. We’re calling for health care that is culturally competent and individually responsive, rec- ognizing a long history of health based injustice,” Courtney Rae, an organizer of Portland’s Resis- tance, said in a press release. More information about Yes for Healthcare, including how to vol- unteer to do door-to-door canvass- ing, can be found at yesforhealth- care.org. Validates Equality Law c ontinueD from p age 3 Avakian said. In each civil rights investiga- tion, the Bureau of Labor and In- dustries approaches the complaint not with a bias for or against the complainant, but with a duty to determine the unique set of facts, officials said. In the vast ma- jority of all employment, hous- ing and public accommodations complaints filed under the Ore- gon Equality Act of 2007, BOLI investigators have found that no substantial evidence exists to support charges of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, officials said. Any Oregon employer seek- ing to navigate the Oregon Equality Act or other civil rights protections can contact BOLI’s Technical Assistance for Em- ployers with questions at (971) 673-0824.