Lack of coverage prompts push for initiative

Aim is to force Legislature to create by 2009 a plan for affordable insurance

BY NIKI SULLIVAN
The Associated Press

May 26, 2005

With a shrinking Oregon Health Plan and no legislative proposals to cover the 600,000 Oregonians without insurance, a group of advocates and lawmakers plans to take the issue directly to voters.

It plans an initiative campaign to put a measure on the November 2006 ballot that would require the Legislature to come up with a proposal to extend affordable health care to more Oregonians.

How that's done would be up to lawmakers in the next two legislative sessions, but they would be required to pass a plan by 2009.

"We can no longer tolerate leaving 600,000 Oregonians without health insurance," Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland, said at news conference Wednesday to announce the initiative drive.

Greenlick said about two-thirds of uninsured Oregonians are employed but either cannot afford employer-provided health insurance or are not offered it.

Co-sponsors of the proposal are Sens. Ben Westlund, R-Tumalo, and Alan Bates, D-Ashland. Greenlick said they are turning to the initiative option because Greenlick has introduced a similar bill in two legislative sessions and hasn't been able to get a hearing on it.

The lawmakers will have to gather 100,000 signatures by July 2006 to put their proposed constitutional amendment on the fall ballot.

If voters approved the amendment, the state constitution would require the Legislature to "expand health-care coverage so that every Oregon resident is able to obtain effective and affordable health care on a regular basis."

The proposal calls on lawmakers to strengthen employer-provided insurance and maximize Medicaid, Medicare and existing health-care programs.

Details would be left to legislators.

"We're in trouble now, but it's a crisis that is getting worse," Westlund said of the 600,000 uninsured people and the rising cost of health care.

Maribeth Healey of Oregonians for Health Security, which advocates expanded health-care programs, said she supports the group's effort.

"I am happy with any move that keeps the dialogue going about what are we going to do about Oregon's health-care crisis," Healey said.

"This is people's No. 1 issue. They want the Legislature to deal with it and, you know, if the Legislature can't deal with it, it does make sense to look at other avenues," such as the initiative process, Healey said.

Lisa Trussell of Associated Oregon Industries, the state's largest business- lobbying organization, said she hasn't seen the initiative and could not comment.

But Trussell said Associated Oregon Industries has been pushing for a work group on insurance to be formed for two years, and she would be happy to provide the industry group's perspective.

The last time voters faced a referendum to decrease the number of uninsured in the state was 2002, when a measure to provide health care for all Oregonians was soundly defeated because it would have raised taxes.