Oregon: Momentum Building for Single Payer

Check out the exciting single-payer developments in Oregon over the last couple months:

New Staff at Health Care for All Oregon

Two new staff joined the statewide coalition this month! Robert Lee, the new Executive Director, worked as a policy analyst in state government for several years, developing anti-poverty reforms with a focus on healthcare, public education, and economic development, and Christina Lacy, the new Operations and Outreach Coordinator, is a fundraiser with experience both here in the U.S. and abroad. You can read their complete profiles here.

Single Payer Study

Thanks to the work of state activists and their allies in the legislature, the state has provided funds for a study of single payer as one of four universal healthcare financing options. The study is expected to be completed by this November. Both chambers of the legislature have strong progressive majorities and have been able to enact positive policies such as paid sick leave, an increase in the minimum wage, and improvements in housing, and our fellow activists in Oregon are making moves to ensure that progress on single payer is next on the agenda!

These developments have energized the state’s single payer movement. With 14 local chapters and 17,000 people on their database statewide, Oregon already has significant organized support; the new staff will help them build the base even further, mobilize the coalition, and prepare for the next step after the single payer study is published later this year.

Great work Oregon!