Hints of spring are around the corner, and it's time for another Advocacy Update from PANOW. Much has happened recently, both locally and at the federal level. Learn more below issues PANOW is tracking.
We are now 6 weeks into Oregon's 2025 Legislative Session, which means there's about a month left before First Chamber deadlines. It's still early days, but PANOW has been closely tracking and advocating for a number of bills. You can find some highlights below:
Oregon State Medicaid Budget (HB 5025): This legislation codifies the entire Oregon Health Authority Medicaid budget, but PANOW is especially interested in funding for the Healthier Oregon program included in that budget. This program extended eligibility for the Oregon Health Plan to individuals of any immigration status (who meet other eligibility requirements), was instrumental in raising Oregon's insured rate to 97% last year, and is a critical resource for some of Oregon's most marginalized communities. PANOW strongly supports fully funding this program. Find our testimony to the Joint Ways and Means Subcommittee on Human Services here.
Corporate Medicine (SB 951): After the last minute failure of HB 4030 last year, a similar bill is back, striving to curb corporate influence in medicine in Oregon. This legislation would leave control of medical practices in the hands of physicians and improve patient care and affordability. Read our testimony here.
Medical Debt on Credit Reports (SB 605): It's no secret that medical debt is a crushing burden on many Oregonians, preventing them from seeking housing and employment or buying a car. This legislation would remove medical debt from credit reports and prevent medical providers from reporting medical debt to credit reporting agencies. Find our testimony here.
We are also now 6 weeks into the new presidential administration, and it's been a busy time at the federal level.
Executive Orders: In these first several weeks, the new federal administration has released a wealth of Executive Orders, ranging from targeting funding for nonprofits and government contractors with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies to widening the authority of immigration law enforcement agencies to carry out enforcement in previously protected environments like schools, religious institutions, and hospitals. PANOW remains committed to providing the high quality of service that our community has come to expect, regardless of any changes made federally and will continue to track the impact of these EOs as circumstances develop and new orders are released.
House Budget Resolution (Federal Medicaid Funding): The House approved its budget resolution last week, including $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts. The budget resolution will now go to the Senate, who likely will not take it up until late March. PANOW continues to monitor what these spending cuts will mean for Medicaid and other safety net program funding in Oregon.
Targeting Nonprofits Providing Immigrant Services (Senate Bill 497): A bill was introduced into the U.S. Senate this month that would strip the 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status of any nonprofit organization if it "engages in a pattern or practice of providing financial assistance, benefits, services, or other material support” to individuals the organization “knows or reasonably should know to be unlawfully present in the United States.” Virtually all organizations providing services to immigrant communities would be affected by this legislation. PANOW is tracking this closely.
ACA Subsidies Expiring at the End of 2025: For individuals who don't qualify for Medicaid and don't receive employer-sponsored coverage, the Affordable Care Act marketplace is often the only option for health insurance. In 2021, the tax credits that many individuals who purchase an insurance plan via that marketplace receive to make their monthly premiums more affordable were made more generous. These more generous tax credits increased ACA enrollment significantly, especially in states that chose not to expand Medicaid. However, these increased tax credits are set to expire at the end of 2025, and if they are not renewed by Congress, monthly premium costs for enrollees are likely to increase by an estimated 25-100%, and an estimated 4 million people would become uninsured. PANOW is tracking this closely as it will likely have a significant impact on access to coverage in Oregon.
