Three Republican legislators who oppose new Oregon taxes on hospitals and insurance companies have collected enough signatures to put the law before voters in a Jan. 23, 2018 special election. House Bill 2391 was passed by the Legislature earlier this year to raise money that attracts federal Medicaid matching funds to pay for the Oregon Health Plan.
It will be Measure 101 on the ballot. A “yes” vote keeps the taxes. The taxes — 6 percent on hospital net revenue, and 1.5 percent on health insurance premiums — are forecast to raise $670 million in the next two years.
Labor organizations urging a yes vote include Oregon AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers-Oregon, Oregon AFSCME, Oregon Education Association, Oregon Federation of Nurses and Healthcare Professionals, Oregon Nurses Association, Oregon School Employees Association, and Service Employees Locals 49 and 503. They’re joined by more than 50 community, civil rights, and nonprofit organizations.
The effort to overturn the law is led by State Reps. Sal Esquivel (R-Medford), Julie Parrish (R-West Linn) and Cedric Hayden (R-Fall Creek).
Oregon has relied on the so-called “provider tax” on hospitals to fund the Oregon Health Plan since 2004, but the insurance tax is new.
PLEDGE TO VOTE YES: The Oregon AFL-CIO is calling on Oregonians to sign an online pledge to vote yes on Measure 101.
