On Nov. 8, 2022, “Right to Health Care Measure 111,” supported by over 50 organizations as diverse as Providence Health Services, Planned Parenthood, Oregon AFT, Main Street Alliance, SEIU and Oregon AFL-CIO, passed with roughly one million YES votes. The measure proposes an amendment to the Oregon constitution establishing the state’s obligation to ensure every Oregon resident has access to cost-effective, clinically appropriate, and affordable healthcare.

We are the first state to explicitly state the necessary components for health care, declaring them as a human right for all of our residents.

For too long our system has fostered medical bankruptcy and delays in care; patients often go to emergency rooms with conditions that could be treated proactively. For too long decisions about our personal health have been made by corporations focused on profits over people. For too long, Oregon voters have not had a voice in shaping healthcare — until now.

The Oregon State Legislature must now act on recommendations of the Oregon Joint Task Force on Universal Health Care, created by Senate Bill 770 that was signed into law in 2022. We all have a stake in improving our health care system. Please remind your state legislators how important this issue is to you, your family and community.

Andy Seles

Ashland