Statesman Journal
June 28, 2002
By Susan Tom
Oregon is one step closer to possibly becoming the first state in the country to have universal health care.
Health Care for All – Oregon, sponsors of a proposed initiative that would pay all necessary medical expenses for all Oregon residents, turned in 81,891 signatures Thursday. It needs 66,786 valid signatures to make the November ballot.
Under the Oregon Comprehensive Health Care Finance Plan, a new state government-funded nonprofit corporation would be set up to pay all medically necessary services, including emergency care, dental, vision, mental health, alternative medicine and long term care. No one can be excluded from the plan because of a pre-existing condition.
The plan would be financed with additional income and payroll taxes as well as federal money spent on health care and individual dollars spent on deductibles and co-payments.