SB 704 Universal Health Plan OPPOSE

SB 704 VOTE: NO

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In CommitteeWork Session pending HR B
Status (overview) of bill:https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Measures/Overview/SB704
Committee assigned to bill:https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2023R1/Committees/SHC/Overview

CONTACT COMMITTEE MEMBERS DIRECTLY

This bill establishes the Universal Health Plan Governance Board and directs it to design an administrative structure for the Universal Health Plan, to assess the readiness of institutions and infrastructure to carry out the plan, and to report to the Legislative Assembly by September 15, 2025, a comprehensive plan for implementation of the Universal Health Plan beginning in 2027.

The new single-payer universal health care plan has built in $22 billion in new taxes. An employer tax on those Oregonians who earn $160k and below will be taxed at 7.25 percent and those who earn over will be taxed at 10.5 percent.

SB 704 has a pre-determined outcome to pursue a state single-payor health plan based on assumptions of magical administrative savings that will drive providers from the state and everyone else with enormous tax increases to support this fantasy. The idea that the state will be successful at a complex entitlement program when they can’t manage unemployment, over taxation, forest fires, education or the economy is irresponsible to dig in deeper in a time of inflation.

Most people in Oregon have healthcare through their employer, and low income are covered through the Oregon Health Plan Medicare coverage, so why push for more when inflation will hit a high this year.

Through the years, the legislature has mandated coverages, which has driven the cost of insurance to be unaffordable to many. So they stepped in to solve the problem they made with a socialist universal coverage plan. This has been a slow feel-good cozy to cover the poor, then they added low-income, then they added the Oregon Health Plan option for small employers, now they want to take over the entire choice of coverage and force everyone to subject the care of their bodies to the government.

America is founded on choice and free will. Universal health care takes away our fundamental right to chose who care for our bodies.

WRITE COMMITTEE MEMBERS DIRECTLY

Sen.DebPatterson@oregonlegislature.gov
Sen.CedricHayden@oregonlegislature.gov
Sen.DanielBonham@oregonlegislature.gov
Sen.WlnsveyCampos@oregonlegislature.gov
Sen.ChrisGorsek@oregonlegislature.gov