Universal health care now a reality for Oregon children

Universal health care now a reality for Oregon children

Oregon now among 11 other states insuring all kids

06:00 PM PDT on Tuesday, August 4, 2009

By Kgw.com and AP Staff PORTLAND, Ore. -- Gov. Ted Kulongoski signed into law Tuesday a bill that expands state health care access to nearly every child in Oregon.
Kulongoski called the legislation historic.
"We will at long last bring health care to every Oregon child," he said at a signing ceremony at Doernbecher Children's Hospital. "Oregonians cannot afford for us to stand by and wait and do nothing."
The bill expands state coverage to an additional 80,000 uninsured children and 35,000 low-income adults. To pay for the expansion, the state is relying on a combination of taxes on hospitals and insurers.
The expansion is by far the biggest in the nation during these economic times
-- Montana comes in second at 30,000 -- and puts Oregon on track to cover 95 percent of its children. That's about as close as a state can get to covering every child, because some families aren't responsive to government programs, while others move frequently.
"In a severe economic downturn, we were able to lay the framework," said the Democrat from Gresham.

The measure makes Oregon one of just 12 states that has universal health care for children.