Last week, the East Oregonian ran an article illustrating a big part of what’s at stake in the vote on Measure 101: the health care of working families.
It told the story of Jennifer Dokka, a Pendleton single mom. Her work cleaning houses reportedly doesn’t pay enough for her to afford health insurance. But now she is insured, thanks to the recent expansion of the Oregon Health Plan (Oregon’s Medicaid program) under the Affordable Care Act. She expresses relief that her family has access to health care. Today, Jennifer fears that the defeat of Measure 101 puts her family’s health coverage in jeopardy.
Jennifer is not alone. A “no” vote on Measure 101 puts at risk the health care of many working Oregonians across our state who recently gained coverage.
In 2013, over 320,000 Oregonians with a job lacked health insurance — more than one of every six workers. Since then, the number of uninsured, working Oregonians has dropped by more than half.
Some of these folks gained coverage through the expansion of the Oregon Health Plan, while others purchased insurance through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace — two pillars of the Affordable Care Act. Defeating Measure 101 would imperil this progress.
When you open your ballot to vote on Measure 101, remember the Dokkas and the many working families that — like all families — deserve the protection of health insurance. Vote “yes” on Measure 101.
