The original goal was to make sure everyone in the state had some form of health insurance. For a variety of reasons, the plan hasn't met that goal. But it has brought the state closer to universal healthcare coverage than most other states. Today, OPB Radio begins a three-part series on the Oregon Health Plan. In this first installment, Jeff Brady examines the plan's history.
High insurance is ridiculous.
How you see the Oregon Health Plan probably depends on whether you're a doctor, a hospital, an employer or someone who uses the plan. If you already have private health insurance you may not be familiar with how the Oregon Health Plan works. It's a complicated system using the mix of state and federal money spent on healthcare for the very poor and spreading it across a wider population. The decision wasn't particularly controversial at the time, but a short time later it would make headlines. In the midst of a high-profile effort to raise money for the procedure, Coby died.