There’s an alarming situation developing here in Oregon that I thought I’d never experience: our state legislature is about to line the pockets of big health insurance companies at the expense of patients and workers.

Health insurance companies, masters of finding ways not to pay for the coverage they are supposed to provide, are now pushing legislation (HB 2387) that would leave them paying even less for life saving treatments that Oregonians need. It is advertised to bring down drug prices, but it doesn’t do that. Instead, it’s a “bait and switch” scheme without any guarantee of benefit for patients. 

The state legislature had an opportunity to address drug pricing head on. Rep. Greenlick created the Drug Cost Workgroup in 2015. I was proud to be asked to join as a patient and an advocate. Unfortunately, our final recommendations were ignored and instead the legislators decided to side with the very insurance companies that hold the key to patients getting the medicines they need!

If you’re fed up with health insurance companies raising premiums and getting out of their obligations to patients, PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION BELOW!

The shell coalition that was set up to support this legislation is primarily funded by insurers.

I’ve worked for more than 20 years to advocate for prevention, awareness and affordable treatment for people living with chronic health conditions and chronic disease.  One in four Americans are living with chronic health conditions such as; arthritis, asthma and breathing disorders, cancer, auto immune conditions, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, HIV, mental illness and viral hepatitis, to name just a few.

Medications for these conditions can be expensive, but with many of these treatments patients can remain healthy and live a normal life. And in some situations, such as Hepatitis C, some patients can even be cured.

Health care costs, insurance premiums, insanely high deductibles and excess profits from insurance companies are a big part of the problem. We can all agree that the cost of health care needs to be lower.

But for some reason these get ignored by our elected representatives. It’s time for the truth, and to hold our elected representatives accountable. Sign our petition, post to all your social media channels and let’s send a message to our legislators to stop responding to the whims of health insurance companies and focus on policies and real solutions that bring down health care costs. 

If a “bait and switch” scheme happens here, it can happen anywhere.

Thank you for your support.