You made a difference, thank you! Because of response from Oregonians throughout the state,
Legislative Concept 52 was introduced as SB 1606 this morning
and will have a hearing and possible work session on tomorrow at 10 a.m.
SB 1606 is a step toward ensuring that Oregonians experiencing disability can access healthcare, use support from people they trust while they are hospitalized and have support when making end of life decisions. This is an emergency and is directly related to the COVID-19 crisis. The changes in this bill need to happen today because people with disabilities are experiencing these barriers to health care today.
Our work is not yet done! We need your help one more time!
Today
, the most important thing you can do to ensure SB 1606 becomes law is to submit written testimony to the email addresses below.
Please email your message of support TODAY even if you already contacted legislators about this issue.
SB 1606 ensures people with disabilities have access to healthcare by:
- Mandating hospitals allow support people to patients as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, consistent with the order recently released by US Health and Human Services and current Oregon Health Authority guidelines.
- Clarifying that Crisis Care Guidance may not include provisions that consider the presence of a disability as a determinant factor in the decision of who gets care and who does not.
- Ensuring that people can have support from people they choose if they are discussing lifesaving or end of life care.
How can you help?
Send an email with your name and mention the city where you live.
First, begin with something like “everyone deserves access to healthcare and support from people they trust to help them understand their care and communicate with doctors. Today, too many people experiencing disability are not able to access healthcare, are denied support from people they trust while they are hospitalized or having end of life discussions.”
Ask that SB 1606 pass this Special Session so that
Oregonians experiencing disability can access healthcare, use support from people they trust while they are hospitalized and have support when making end of life decisions.
Then mention that this is an emergency and is directly related to the COVID-19 crisis. These changes cannot wait until next year because people with disabilities are experiencing these barriers to health care today.
Share a personal story about being denied access to healthcare, denied support in the hospital or being asked to sign documents without support people that you needed present, please say a few sentences about that.
If you have not been to the hospital recently, share what it would be like without SB 1606 if you could not have support people with you at the hospital or if you were asked to sign documents without support people you need.
Second, say thank you!
Third, email your story to the following email addresses and legislative
Legislative committee email to be posted as written public testimony on the record.
SUBJECT: “Support for SB 1606: Access to Care for Oregonians with Disabilities”
Send a copy to this email group:
Type in your full address in the upper right hand corner, and a box will appear on the screen. In it, you’ll find three tabs. You’ll find out who your State Senator is, and if you click to the next tab, who your State Representative is.
