On her Oregon Legislature webpage, District 9 Representative Caddy McKeown wrote, “We must … invest in our children’s future, keep our communities safe and ensure all Oregonians have access to the care they deserve.”
I believe she’s sincere, so it is disconcerting that she voted against House Bill 3260, which directs the Oregon Health Authority to oversee a rigorous study and recommend the best option for financing health care in state. “In state” means made-in-Oregon healthcare tailored to the needs of Oregonians.
The bill specifies four options to be studied: 1) Oregon’s current system with the addition of the Oregon health insurance exchange, and the Affordable Care Act; 2) a sales tax and voucher system for paying insurance company premiums; 3) a public option plan in which for-profit insurance plans must compete against one or more publicly funded plans; 4) a single payer system that would be like an enhanced Medicare for all.
The study bill was passed by the House of Representatives 37 to 23, with four Republicans voting for it, and the two Democrats voting against it — Rep. McKeown and Rep. Brent Barton of Gladstone.
On Saturday, July 6th, the Senate passed the study bill 20 to 10, with four Republicans voting for it.
Now the Oregon Health Authority must find funding for the study from foundations and private donors, oversee the study, and present its findings no later than November 1, 2014. Then the political struggle over how to finance healthcare in Oregon will begin in earnest.
Let’s make sure that Rep. McKeown understands the importance of affordable healthcare to the people of Oregon. Write and tell her about your family’s experience with unaffordable medical expenses. Nothing improves one’s thinking like exposure to reality.
Rep. Caddy McKeown
District Address:
PO Box 119
Coos Bay, OR 97420
rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us
Yes Al, just like it worked so well when Clinton gave the airwaves to corporate Maraka, remember them hens Al? No such thing as a FREE market little Al.
It was a bad bill – basically putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. Affordable healthcare will be delivered when there’s plenty of competition. I applaud Caddy for voting with good conscious and business practicality instead of the party line.
I wonder if Caddy misses her lavish fact finding missions to Europe funded by the Port? Kroenstenner has been heard laughing with his drinking buddies about the all expense paid vacations. The pattern is there…
“so it is disconcerting that she voted against House Bill 3260”, but no surprise, since Caddy has a history of voting how she’s told to vote on every issue she has ever addressed. Why should she vote to help her constituents now, after working against their long term health for years as a port commissioner. She will vote as she’s told by the people that count. Lobbyists.