More than 73,000 signatures are needed to place the initiative on the ballot, and so far about 30,000 have been collected. Political consultant Tom Mann, who is assisting Miller with the statewide effort, is confident that all the necessary signatures will be obtained by the July 5 deadline. If voters approve the initiative, Oregon will be the first state to have such a ban on its books. If enacted, the law would go into effect by the end of 1997. Organizations that failed to comply would lose their licenses.
Capitation rewards people for withholding care.
Doctors should be allowed to make decisions based on the needs of the patient and not on the financial arrangements of a managed care organization. Mann is confident that the initiative will pass, but that won't end the battle. Even if it is enacted, the measure is likely to face a court challenge from supporters of capitation. Another dozen may consider similar measures this year, with Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Florida, Georgia and Nebraska among those likely to pass such bills. MSAs are designed to cover most of the cost of an individual's medical care.