Everybody In! Nobody Out!
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Local, State, and National Happenings
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March 2020 HCAO E-Newsletter
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Soul Queens and Blues Kings Show
Healing the Health Care Blues
April 25, 2020, 7:30–11:00 pm. Aladdin Theater
Restoring Justice for Health
May 14, 2020, Double Tree by Hilton, Portland
HCAO Annual Membership Meeting and Conference
Universal Health Care—Its Impact Across Populations
June 13, 2020
5090 Center Street NE
Salem, OR 97317
Registration: Coming soon
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HCAO Community Partner at National Kidney Foundation Conference
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NKF Conference attendees, mostly patients, their caregivers, and kidney donors, talked with HCAO about the challenges of living with chronic kidney disease.
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Just taking care of themselves or providing support is burdensome enough. They face numerous systemic barriers to care: need for choice of services, costly deductibles, lack of information for the blind, and the need for transportation and translation services.
All are grateful that HCAO is doing the work to educate about and advocate for systems change to eliminate unnecessary and costly barriers. Some are now ready to volunteer for the cause.
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Yvette won the HCAO raffle bag. Yvette receives dialysis three times a week while waiting for a second transplant. Her spouse serves as her caregiver.
Information about being a kidney donor can be found
here
.
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Partnering with PSU Social Impact
Building Awareness and Volunteer Engagement
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PSU students ready to volunteer
On Wednesday, February 4, HCAO was invited as a new Community Partner with Portland State University's Social Impact Fair. PSU students and the recently graduated from a variety of fields showed interest in HCAO's wide variety of volunteer opportunities. Fields included public policy, political science, communications, and computer science.
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PSU staff and Give Impulse staff sporting HCAO buttons
HCAO received training from new PSU partner
GivePulse to help upgrade our volunteer recruitment system. Part of their mission states, "It starts with one volunteer to build an army that will help improve the world."
GivePulse struggles to deal with the rising costs of insurance just like many small businesses.
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Senate Committee on Health Care
Moves Health Care as a Fundamental Right
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Landmark bill HJR 202 passed Senate Health Care with a "do pass" recommendation.
You can watch the three-minute comments and the vote to move HJR 202
here
. The bill awaited passage by full Senate; alas, the absent Senators prevented any further action.
No one said the struggle would be easy, but we are making progress so read on.
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Task Force on Universal Health Care Set to Meet
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The Task Force is now scheduled to have its first meeting on March 30, 2020 in Salem.You can find the Task Force members and see the current schedule, and you will eventually be able to sign up to follow the work and provide public testimony
here
.
See each person and listen to what each one brings to this work, beginning at
43:00
.
Providing testimony, either written or in public hearings, will be the work ahead.
Stay tuned.
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National Scene: Corona Virus Exposes Problems with System
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There are many uncertainties with the corona virus. HCAO will take its lead from the Oregon Public Health Division. To read information or sign,
click here.
There is one particular uncertainty. Will people with high co-pays and high deductibles delay seeking car
e?
A 2018 poll
showed 44% of Americans skip doctor visits because of cost.
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Do you think the size of the deductible will impact the decision to seek care for coronavirus?
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HCAO Engaging New Businesses
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HCAO continues to connect with its local business engagement strategy. It simply consists of going to businesses, hearing their concerns about health care, and introducing them to the work of HCAO.
New business supporters are Marcio and Rodrigo of the recently opened
Favela Brazilian Cafe in Portland. This business, like so many, has to face the financial challenge of the rising cost of insurance. Most small businesses just can't afford it.
Are you a business owner that supports universal care? If YES, please sign up
HERE so HCAO can recognize your business as a supporter on our website and elsewhere.
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Board Member Highlight:
Wes Brain
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Wes: "I spent nearly nine years helping where I could while witnessing the struggles my daughter, Tanya Wray, had after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2000. We lost Tanya in 2009 just before her 34th birthday and it was her battle to get the care she needed when her doctors wanted it which showed me just how unfair and inhumane this system is. I became a board member because nobody should ever have to go through what she went through and I feel like she is with me every single day as we work to change this broken healthcare system."
Wes is a retired member-activist with the Service Employees International Union Local #503. He is also a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, Lane Branch. He worked previously as a firefighter for 16 years with Jackson County Fire District #5, followed by 15 years employment with Southern Oregon University providing occupational health and safety services for campus employees. Wes hosts the Brain Labor Report, an hour-long radio show every Wednesday at 9am on KSKQ, the Rogue Valley’s community radio station. Previously Wes was a delegate for 15 years with the Southern Oregon Central Labor Council who he worked with to organize Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice.
Wes actively serves as Board representative to the Nominations and Elections Committee and on the Membership Committee. Wes continuously brings the HCAO message to the people of Southern Oregon through the building of partnerships.
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HCAO Chapter Highlight:
HCAO Clackamas County
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HCAO engages with the masses at the Jade District Night Market.
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HCAO Clackamas County does extensive community engagement work. The chapter is led by Karen Baker. As someone who has worked in the business sector for many years, Karen knows well the high cost of insurance.
One highlight of the Clackamas Chapter work has been building awareness in new communities by connecting with the
Jade District Night Market.
Building and strengthening chapters is essential for achieving HCAO's mission.
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HCAO's ability to educate about and advocate for universal health care is possible ONLY because of YOU. Thank you for your past support! Please
become a member, make an additional contribution, or volunteer.
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Everybody in! Nobody out!
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