Oregon Can Be The First State With Universal Health Care.
Universal Health Care (UHC) means that every person—regardless of their income, job, or background—has access to the full range of health services they need with minimal financial barriers.
Oregon has a constitutional right to health care.
In 2022, Oregonians voted to pass ballot measure 111, establishing health care as a fundamental right in our state constitution. We are the only state in the country with this constitutional right.
HCAO Health Care Providers.
Our Current System Is Unsustainable
To understand why we need universal health care, we need to understand what is happening right now in Oregon and across the United States.
15% of Oregonians report skipping care they need because of cost.
UHP Governance Board, 20261 in 8 Oregon households report that medical costs have consumed most or all of their savings.
UHP Governance Board, 2026Roughly 350,000 Oregonians remain completely uninsured.
Oregon Health Authority, 2025The US Spends More; Gets Less.
The United States spends far more on health care per person than any other wealthy nation, yet Americans live shorter, less healthy lives than people in similar countries.
Source: Our World in Data, based on OECD and World Bank data. Each bubble represents a country; press play to see how spending and life expectancy have shifted over time. The US is consistently the outlier in the upper right: highest spending, but with a lower life expectancy than peer nations.
Universal Health Care Could Benefit Everyone
Adoption of a Universal Health Care system would benefit millions all across the US.
Parents and Families
Your kids get the care they need. Preventive visits, urgent care, and specialists are all covered—no surprise bills when they get sick.
Employees with Current Coverage
No more worrying about losing coverage if you're laid off or change jobs. Choose your own doctors without network restrictions, and skip the confusion of dealing with multiple insurance plans for your family.
Young Adults
Start school, switch jobs, or work for yourself without losing coverage. Mental health support and preventive care are there when you need them, and not dependent on parent coverage.
People Managing Chronic Conditions
Get consistent, coordinated care without worring about high deductibles or battling insurance denials. Your medications, specialists, and ongoing treatments are covered—focus on your health, not the bills.
Freelancers & Contract Workers
Build your business without worrying about losing health coverage. Take the leap into self-employment knowing you and your family stay protected.
Small Business Owners
Compete with large corporations on a more level playing field. Employees get coverage, and you get to invest in growing your business.
Seniors
Comprehensive coverage that starts long before you turn 65. Retire with dignity knowing your health care is secure.
Rural Communities
Stable funding keeps local hospitals and clinics open: urban, suburban, and rural. Access to care no longer depends on your zip code.
Benefits of a Shift to Universal Health Care
Shifting to Universal Health Care (UHC) would address the problems of our current system at their roots.
Denying care is how insurers make money
Every claim denied is profit saved. Prior authorizations and network restrictions are profit strategies.
Care decisions based on medical need
Without a profit motive, your doctors decide your treatment based on what you need, not what maximizes revenue.
Your insurer decides which doctor you can see
Network restrictions limit your choices. Switching plans often forces you to switch doctors.
Any provider in Oregon is your provider
No networks, no out-of-network penalties. You choose based on who you trust, not who your insurer approves.
Lose your job, lose your coverage
Layoffs strip coverage. Self-employment and caregiving become riskier when insurance depends on a job.
Coverage follows you, not your employer
Change jobs, start a business, or leave a bad situation. Your care is always there.
30% of spending never pays for care
Administrative overhead, billing complexity, and marketing eat up nearly a third of every dollar.
Administrative savings pay for care instead
One standardized billing system replaces many. The savings flow back into care, lowering costs for everyone.
Skipping care now costs everyone more later
High deductibles push people to delay treatment. Small problems become expensive emergencies.
Early care becomes the norm
With no cost at the point of care, people get help before conditions become crises. Prevention is cheaper than crisis.
We pay for many systems when we need one
Each insurer runs its own rules and billing codes. The complexity alone drives up costs and errors.
One system, negotiating for everyone
A single public fund sets fair rates and cuts administrative chaos. Simpler for providers, cheaper for patients.
Doctors spend 2 hours on paperwork for every hour of care
Fighting denials and navigating different insurer requirements creates burnout and pushes providers out of the profession.
Providers focus on patients, not paperwork
Simplified billing frees up doctors to spend more time with patients, improving care quality and reducing burnout.
Want to learn more about Universal Health Care? Check out some of the resources on our UHC Learning Resources page.
From Vision to Reality
Learn what's ahead before universal health care can become law in Oregon, and how the plan gets built between now and then.