I’m a physician in Hood River. My business and passion is taking care of my patients — all ages, all incomes, large and small medical needs, acute and chronic, physical and mental, from preventive to end-of-life. I don’t have the chops or inclination to be a journalist, but those same patients and neighbors often need policy advocacy to ensure even basic access to medical care. So, on their behalf, let me explain why I, and the vast majority of Oregon’s medical community, want to make sure Measure 101 gets passed this month.
To the editor: The AHCA bill passed by the House would reduce Medicaid payments by $834 billion and premium support by $276 billion. Taking these dollars out of our health care system will hurt people in the Second Congressional District.
To the editor: I'm writing to respond to the idea that health insurance can be provided by a free market system, an idea which is an economic impossibility. If you leave politics aside and look at the economics literature, even conservative economists acknowledge this.
To the editor: Most people receive health insurance through their employer. Suppose for a moment that your company changed its benefit plan to match proposed AHCA changes, waiving protections for pre-existing conditions and community rating.
