In 2022, Oregonians passed Measure 111, a constitutional amendment guaranteeing affordable health care as a fundamental right to every resident of the state. This move paves the way for Oregon to implement its Universal Health Plan, which could be enacted as early as fall 2025. The plan’s success is crucial, especially in the face of extreme Medicaid cuts from the Trump administration, which will leave approximately 16 million people without health coverage by 2034.
Oregon’s single-payer health care dream still faces hurdles, but with the constitutional amendment voted in by the people, it has a leg up over previous state-level campaigns, such as Vermont’s Green Mountain Care. Vermont’s campaign, which began in 2011, came close to implementation but was ultimately shot down in 2014 due to concerns over significant tax increases.
According to Dr. Deborah Richter, a physician and president of Vermont Health Care for All, the greatest barrier in Vermont’s state-level campaign was the lack of understanding about the benefits of a publicly-funded system. Richter emphasized that under a privately-funded system, health care costs are often hidden, and the financial burden falls on individuals with medical needs.
In Oregon, the Universal Health Plan Governance Board aims to propose the next draft of the health care plan in fall 2025. The board is comprised of members from Health Care for All Oregon (HCAO) and other community organizations. HCAO has built a multifaceted organizing apparatus, conducting crowd canvassing, tabling at events, and giving presentations to various community groups.
Organizers with HCAO emphasize the need to create a strong network of advocates to push for a comprehensive health plan. They also recognize the challenge of disinformation from opponents of the universal health plan and the need to connect with people in their communities to overcome this.
The success of Oregon’s Universal Health Plan could have a ripple effect, paving the way for other states to implement similar plans. As Philip Verhoef, the immediate past president of Physicians for a National Health Plan, notes, “You almost need to make the argument impervious to money. The people fighting for single-payer are never going to outspend the insurance company, so instead they simply have to get everyone on their side.”
The journey to universal health care in Oregon and the United States is not without its challenges, but with community effort and a deeper understanding of the vast inefficiencies in American health care, it is possible to realize a dream of something better. As Dr. Richter suggests, universal coverage could be a light at the end of the tunnel, especially in the face of significant health care-related deaths due to the Trump administration’s cuts.