by Matt Newell-Ching

No one should be forced to choose between going to the doctor and paying for food.

That is why Partners for Hunger-Free Oregon is joining over 100 organizations — including ​doctors, ​firefighters ​and teachers, ​AARP, ​local ​hospitals ​and ​families ​across ​the ​state — endorsing Ballot Measure 101.

Measure ​101 ​protects ​healthcare ​coverage ​for ​one ​in ​four ​Oregonians, including ​400,000 ​kids. ​No ​matter ​where ​you ​live ​or ​work ​or ​what ​your ​job ​is, you ​should ​be ​able ​to ​see ​a ​doctor ​or ​nurse ​and ​get ​medication ​when ​you’re sick ​and ​it ​shouldn’t ​bankrupt ​you. ​Measure ​101 ​holds ​down ​costs ​and ​is ​an important ​step ​to ​make ​basic ​healthcare ​affordable ​and ​accessible ​to ​every Oregonian.

In 2015, clients at food pantries across Oregon were asked what would make food assistance less necessary. Compared to 2012, the percentage of clients reporting that health care costs were a primary reason was reduced by half. That reduction is largely due to Oregon’s adoption of Medicaid expansion in 2014 – the part of the Affordable Care Act that extends health coverage to working poor families.

Whether ​you ​work ​in ​an ​office ​or ​at ​a ​construction ​site, ​in ​sales ​or ​at ​a ​coffee ​shop, you shouldn’t be kept up at night thinking about whether to seek a medical treatment or whether to get groceries. Your ​income ​shouldn’t determine ​whether ​you ​can ​get ​the ​care ​you ​need.

Voting Yes on Measure 101 means:

• All Oregon Kids will have healthcare
• 95 percent of Oregonians will have access to healthcare
• 210,000 Oregonians will see lower premiums

Food insecurity in Oregon recently saw it’s largest single-year drop in twenty years. Fewer Oregonians today face the impossible choice between health care and basic nutrition. While far too many Oregonians still experience hunger and food insecurity, ensuring that Oregonians have access to health coverage is a moral imperative.

Measure 101 helps all parts of Oregon. Hunger is higher in rural areas, and in ​some ​rural ​counties, ​more ​than ​a ​third ​of ​families ​rely ​on ​Medicaid. ​Without ​Measure 101, ​Medicaid ​funding ​would ​be ​slashed, ​impacting ​the ​health ​families ​and ​local economies. ​What’s ​more, ​in ​early ​2017, ​20 ​rural ​Oregon ​counties ​were ​at ​risk ​of ​losing coverage ​options ​on ​the ​individual ​insurance ​market. ​Thanks ​to ​Measure ​101 ​funding ​that’s dedicated ​to ​stabilizing ​insurance ​premiums, ​every ​Oregon ​county ​now ​has ​at ​least ​one available ​insurance ​option.

If Measure 101 does not pass, the results would be disastrous for Oregonians. State ​funding ​for ​healthcare ​will ​be ​cut ​by ​between ​$210 ​and ​$320 ​million, ​resulting ​in ​the loss ​of ​potentially ​$5 ​billion ​in ​federal ​funding. ​Oregon ​families ​who ​rely ​on ​Medicaid ​– including ​400,000 ​children, ​seniors ​and ​people ​with ​disabilities ​– ​face ​the ​prospect ​of ​losing healthcare ​benefits ​or ​coverage ​altogether.

We must not turn back the clock.

Ballots will be mailed to voters in early January and must be returned by 8pm on January 23rd. We encourage you to vote “Yes for Healthcare” – Yes on Measure 101 – and invite you to get involved.

Get Involved and Learn More

• Share Your Health Care Story
• What is Measure 101?
• Answers to your questions about ballot measure 101 and the healthcare of Oregonians (OCPP)
• Get Involved