Gubernatorial candidates Jim Hill and Ted Kulongoski both DISAGREE that the following conditions have placed our state in a moral and economic health care crisis which must be solved by our state government:
The federal government and the private health insurance industry have failed to provide affordable health care to Oregonians and Oregon's public institutions.
1. Huge numbers of Oregonians have no health insurance.
2. Huge numbers of Oregonians pay for such costly health insurance that they can afford little or no actual health care.
3. All of Oregon's public institutions are facing skyrocketing and unstoppable increases in health care costs which significantly diminish the quality and quantity of services that need to be provided to the public.

Gubernatorial candidates Jim Hill and Ted Kulongoski both IGNORE the Oregon Community Health Care Bill despite the fact that it:
1. Is the most market driven health care plan in America.
2. Removes the burden from businesses of providing health care and places it on the state of Oregon.
3. Reduces health care costs to public institutions in Oregon by 20%.
4. Provides actual health care not just health insurance.
5. Eliminates the term, "preexisting condition." If the procedure is covered you're covered.
6. Provides affordable health care - on a sliding scale according to income - as good as that received by any public employee in Oregon to anyone willing to make a commitment to Oregon for one year as a registered voter.
hat the following conditions have placed our state in a moral and economic health care crisis:

Jim Hill's fantasy solutions to Oregon's health care crisis: try to persuade the legislature to increase funding to the Oregon Health Plan and pray with John Kitzhaber that the federal government - currently defined as George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Dennis Hastert and Dr. Bill "Terry Shivo is Not in a vegetative state, the video told me so" Frist - will bring affordable health care to Oregonians and Oregon's public institutions before hell freezes over.

Jim Hill is primarily funded by many of the same city of Portland public employee bargaining unit organizations - whose members insist that they "deserve" to enjoy generous taxpayer supported health care benefits despite the public consequences - that also disagree that our state is in a moral and economic health care crisis. Same old same old. Boring and Bankrupt.

Fortunately, for Democrats, there will be a candidate on the ballot who does recognize that our state is in a moral and economic health care crisis and supports the Oregon Community Health Care Bill as a real solution. His name is Pete Sorenson, currently serving as a Lane County Commissioner. 

On April 6th Air America's Thom Hartman will moderate a debate among these three candidates. He should spend the majority of the time asking questions about the most important issue in the governor's race, health care. Here's what he should be asking.

1. Imagine you are face to face with an Oregonian who cannot afford and is currently without health care. Please tell us what issue or program you have promoted during your campaign that would be more important to this voter than providing her with the security of affordable health care?

2. Do you acknowledge that the federal government and the private health insurance industry have failed to provide affordable health care to Oregonians and Oregon's public institutions?

3. Tell us why you agree or disagree that Oregon is in a moral and economic health care crisis that must be solved by our state government.

4. Ted and Jim have stated that they believe the federal government not our state government should be responsible for providing affordable health care to Oregonians and Oregon's public institutions. Please tell us:
I. What is the text of the federal legislation that will provide affordable health care for Oregonians and Oregon's public institutions?
II. Who will sponsor and champion this federal legislation in the congress?
III. When will this federal legislation be likely to pass into law?
IV. How is this legislation better than the Oregon Community Health Care Bill?

5. Explain why the Oregon Community Health Care Bill will or will not address these fundamental health care conditions in our state:
A. Huge numbers of Oregonians have no health insurance.
B. Huge numbers of Oregonians pay for such costly health insurance that they can afford little or no actual health care.
C. All of Oregon's public institutions are facing skyrocketing and unstoppable increases in health care costs which significantly diminish the quality and quantity of services that need to be provided to the public.

6. If you do not support the Oregon Community Health Care Bill then what solution do you propose to address these fundamental health care conditions in our state:
A. Huge numbers of Oregonians have no health insurance.
B. Huge numbers of Oregonians pay for such costly health insurance that they can afford little or no actual health care.
C. All of Oregon's public institutions are facing skyrocketing and unstoppable increases in health care costs which significantly diminish the quality and quantity of services that need to be provided to the public.

7. During the term of Oregon's next governor, public institutions in our state will spend about $625,000,000 or more in INCREASED health care costs. Discuss how the commensurate loss of $625,000,000 in public services will affect our state and how, as governor, you plan to help stop it.


Richard Ellmyer
Oregon Community Health Care Bill author and project champion
President, MacSolutions Inc. - A Macintosh computer consulting business providing web hosting for artists and very small businesses.
Writer/Publisher - Oregon Health Watcher commentary - Published on the Internet and distributed to 15,000 readers interested in public health care policy in Oregon.
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/health.html
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/octoberpoll.html
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/candidates.html