Chapter Leader Resources

Crowd Canvassing Sign Up Form

Crowd Canvassing Tips and FAQ’s

Tips: 

  • This script is just a guide! Figure out what works best for you. We aim to provide more than you’ll need to help you feel prepared.

  • People are likely to copy what the person above them did on the sign-up sheet, so if people start just writing their name and zip code for example, you can fill out the line under them completely so that the next person will hopefully copy your example (feel free to make up the contact info, just let us know or cross it out later so we don’t enter it). Alternatively, you can ask people to write their email if you see they skipped it. 

  • Not everyone will want to fill out all their info, and that’s ok! Name, email, and zip code are most important. 

  • If someone has a question you don’t know the answer to, write it down with their email and tell them you’ll find out and get back to them. Then email the question to your contact at HCAO. 

  • We know the address space on the sign-up sheet is small – people can use the zip code space to continue writing their address. 

  • Handing out flyers is optional, use your best judgement for the situation.  

  • Please send photos of completed sign-up sheets to robyng@hcao.org. 

  • If you need hand-outs or more sign-up sheets, please email robyng@hcao.org. 

  • Have fun!


SCRIPT 1

Did you know that Oregon is poised to become the first state in the country to enact universal health care?

PAUSE FOR RESPONSE

The Oregon legislature is currently designing a statewide universal health care plan for all Oregonians! The group working on it is the Universal Health Plan Governance Board, and the organization I’m volunteering with, Health Care for All Oregon, led the fight to establish its creation. We’d love to keep you up-to-date on universal health care efforts in Oregon! *hand over clipboard with sign-up sheet and pen.*

_____________________________________________________


OTHER TALKING POINTS:

  • The Universal Health Plan Governance Board began designing the universal health care plan in 2024. It’s supposed to be done by 2026, and the legislature will review it in 2027. They will vote on it then, or send it to the ballot in 2028. With all the problems going on right now, this is a real solution with a real timeline!

  • All Oregonians can submit public comment (testimony) to the board. Visit hcao.org/uhpgb to learn more or submit testimony. 

  • It is likely that the state legislature will refer the Governance Board’s plan to the voters as a ballot measure. If that happens, we expect a huge fight from insurance companies, big pharma, and others who will want to crush the first universal health care plan in the country. That’s why it’s so important to start educating people about it now. 

SCRIPT 2

Potential openers (pick one):

Interested in universal health care?

Do you support health care for all?

Do you believe healthcare is a human right?

Do you think everyone deserves health care?

Do you want to talk about universal health care? 

PAUSE FOR RESPONSE

Awesome, me too! That’s why I’m volunteering with Health Care for All Oregon, working to bring universal health care to Oregonians. We’d love to keep you up-to-date because the state legislature is working on a universal health care plan right now! *hand over clipboard with sign-up sheet and pen*. 

PAUSE FOR A BIT WHILE THEY START FILLING OUR THEIR INFO. 

Have you heard of the Universal Health Plan Governance Board? They were appointed by the state to design a universal health care plan for Oregon!

IF NO:

They began their work in 2024, and will submit a plan to the legislature by 2027. Oregonians can submit a public comment to the board to advocate for the best health plan possible. You can find more info and the link to submit testimony on our website, hcao.org *Hand over HCAO flyer.* 

IF YES:

Awesome! Health Care for All Oregon led the effort to establish the board! All Oregonians can submit testimony to the board to advocate for the best health plan possible. Visit our website, hcao.org for the testimony link *hand over HCAO flyer.*


FAQ

Why submit testimony to the UHPGB if they are already working on a universal health care plan? 

We want to show them that Oregonians support the best universal health plan with the most coverage. The board needs to know that Oregonians are paying attention and counting on them to not water down the plan, e.g. we want dental, vision, gender-affirming care, good prescription coverage, and low or no out-of-pocket costs. 

Why Single-Payer Universal Health Care?

  • Uncouples health insurance from employment

  • No or extremely low copays and out-of-pocket costs; no premiums or deductibles.

  • Funds for the plan go into a public trust, returning excess revenue into that trust.

  • Allows providers to bill only one entity, thereby dramatically reducing administrative costs.

  • People can receive care from any provider in the state.

  • Instead of multiple private insurance companies each requiring their own billing systems, coding, and administrative procedures, healthcare providers only need to work with a single payer. This reduces the complexity of claims management, making the process faster and less costly.

How will the universal health care plan be paid for?

The Finance and Revenue Committee of the Governance Board is working on the specific funding mechanisms, but the plan will likely be funded through income and business taxes. However, you should save money overall! The idea is that all of your other health care costs like co-pays, deductibles, premiums, and out of pocket costs will be eliminated or dramatically lowered for an overall more affordable price. So taxes may go up, but every other cost will go down for an overall lower cost. 

The longer answer is that the plan will be paid for through a combination of different sources, including a progressive tax. This means that higher income earners will pay a higher tax than the lowest income earners. Overall, the price of health care for families will go down.

One of the main benefits of universal health care systems is that they are ALL significantly cheaper than ours. On average, the U.S. spends twice as much per person on health care than any universal health care system. And for worse health outcomes. With those savings, we’ll be able to expand coverage to everyone and still offer net cost savings.

An alternative answer to “I don’t want my taxes raised” might be, “Are you happy with your current health care costs? No? If raising taxes meant your overall health care costs were lowered, would you be okay with a raised tax?” Our current system is the most expensive one on the planet, by a huge margin.

What is the UHPGB exactly? 

The Universal Health Plan Governance Board (UHPGB) is a board of nine experts, created by the state legislature and appointed by the Governor, who are volunteering their time to design the Universal Health Plan. There are also four UHPGB committees helping design the plan. They will likely submit their finalized plan to the state legislature in September 2026, after which it may be voted on or submitted to the voters on the ballot. 

Oregon’s Path to Universal Health Care

  • Constitutional Right to Health Care (HOPE Amendment) passed in 2022

  • SB1089 established the Universal Health Plan Governance Board (UHPGB) in 2023. Now Oregon Revised Statute 75.

  • The UHPGB is charged with designing a universal health care plan for Oregon! They started meeting in 2024. 

  • The UHPGB is working under a set of Values and Principles.

  • The board will make their recommendation in September 2026. 

Can you tell me more about HCAO?

Health Care for All Oregon (HCAO) is a non-profit that has been working to establish universal health care in Oregon for over 25 years. Our focus is on educating the public, organizing supporters into an active movement, and advocacy (educating legislators on the benefits of universal health care/supporting related policy proposals). This work helped create the ballot measures and legislative bills that established the UHPGB!