Thanks to the generous support of so many we met our year end goal. Every donation contributed. This has set the stage for a good start to 2023. It is essential that we focus on community awareness, community involvement and coalition building to free us from the bondage of insurance and advance the fight to achieve health equity.

Weren't able to give in 2022 or want to renew. Become a sustaining member. Help us for 2023.

Did you miss the "Measure 111 and Next Steps for Oregon" Panel presentation held on Dec. 13? It was well attended with over 140 registered. Never fear--you can catch it here.

The Task Force on Universal Health Care has recommended the establishment of a permanent Universal Healthcare Plan (UHP) Governance Board to implement the Plan.

Read HCAO Summary.

The Senate Interim Committee on Health Care met on Dec 8. The overall agenda shows the disparities and the need for a single payer universal health care system. Listen here.

The legislature and its health care committees will begin meeting in session on 1/17/23. The House and Senate Committees have been named including the House Behavioral Health and Health Care Committee & the Senate Committee on Health Care. Find House Committees here. Find Senate Committees here.

Now is the time to contact your reps who will be sworn in on January 9. Tell your story and how important universal healthcare is to you. Deliver a clear message that "now is the time to transform healthcare by advancing the recommendation of the Joint Task Force on Universal Health Care to establish and fully fund the Universal Health Care Plan Governance Board. This is the path to health equity and affordability."

The Oregon Health Authority gave "preliminary" approval of this merger. It is unclear what "preliminary" means. Not sure the "toughest in the nation" mergers' and acquisitions' oversight program was doing its work. With OHA Director Patrick Allen on his way out, who is doing the oversight of this significant issue remains unclear. In addition, a 30 day review with such a short public comment period begs for transparency. Here is a link to all the materials from OHA including public comments. We are seeking answers.

For reference read the Lund Report: "Online retail giant Amazon has launched a multi-billion-dollar bid to expand its health care business...." Read the Article.

It is clear that Amazon is about profit taking and cares not about health equity or the health of individuals or communities. The first priority must be health equity not private equity.

HCAO's newest business ally and new start up Kaizen Technologies, LLC, is a small business with employees in multiple states. Co-owner Gatlin Newhouse has this to say: "Despite our best efforts, we found that the costs of health insurance in the United States were simply too high for a small business like mine to bear. We were worried about being able to afford the premiums, and were frustrated by the looming constant paperwork and red tape involved in the process. Eventually, our company opted to not provide health insurance.... This has proven to be a complicated and costly process, with the various plans on the market offering confusing and often inadequate coverage." Read Gatlin's full compelling case for single payer.

Information on Kaizen can be found at https://www.kaizencorp.tech/

Each year at the Annual Membership Meeting, the voting members of HCAO elect or re-elect Members to the HCAO Board based on the recommendation of the Nominations and Elections Committee. An in-person meeting and conference is tentatively scheduled for June 10, 2023, in Salem. The positions of Board President, Vice President, and Secretary along with 5 Members-at-Large are up re-election. Some are interested in re-election and some are not. There are also 3 Nominations and Elections Committee members to be chosen. The bylaws describe the make up and duties of these positions. HCAO has made progress in diversifying the Board in recent years and will continue on this path. The Nominations and Elections Committee takes recommendations from individual and organizational members. If you are an individual member or represent an organizational member and wish to nominate someone, please complete and submit the attached no later than February 17, 2023.

In this "Doctor's Day" video, is Dr. Glaucomflecken exaggerating or painfully accurate in his assessment of the U.S. largest insurance company, United Health Care?

This article may help: "Our top private health insurer is rolling in cash. And it’s reducing coverage."

For further information and questions, contact Linda Alband (operations@hcao.org).