Merkley Joins Oregon Advocates to Call for Health Care Public Option

Statement

Oregon's Senator Jeff Merkley visited the North by Northeast Community Health Center today to talk with health care advocates about his efforts in the Senate to call for a public option, similar to Medicare, in the health insurance market. Yesterday, Senator Merkley introduced a Senate resolution with Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and 27 of their colleagues, to add a public option to the health insurance market.

"Here in Oregon, the Affordable Care Act has already expanded health coverage to thousands of Oregonians who were previously uninsured and given countless Americans greater peace of mind," said Merkley. "Instead of talking about rolling back these advances we should be building on this success by driving competition and holding insurance companies accountable with a public, Medicare-like option available to every American."

Specifically, the resolution states support for efforts "to build on the Affordable Care Act by ensuring that, in addition to the coverage options provided by private insurers, every American has access to a public health insurance option which, when established, will strengthen competition, improve affordability for families by reducing premiums and increasing choices, and save American taxpayers billions of dollars."

"I've been a patient at the North by Northeast Community Health Clinic for a number of years and have loved the service and support they have given me. Unfortunately, I just found out that I make too much money and won't be able to qualify for the Oregon Health Plan anymore and I am worried about the cost of health care on the exchange and wish that there was a public option similar to Medicare for all Oregonians," said Abigail Lawrence of Portland. "Senator Merkley's proposal would help Oregonians like me who want more choices to help keep the cost of health care from being unaffordable for working Oregonians."

In addition to Merkley, Schumer, Murray, Durbin and Sanders, the resolution is cosponsored by Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tom Udall (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Harry Reid (D-NV), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

Source