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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Republican tax bill could slash billions for Oregon Health Plan, state officials say
A person holds a "Protect Medicaid" sign in front of Oregon State Capital in Salem on May 1, 2025. (Mia Maldonado / Oregon Capital Chronicle) A Republican tax bill passed in the U.S. House and headed for a vote in the Senate would slash billions in federal Medicaid funding across the country — leaving an outsized mark on states like Oregon that offer health care policies centered on inclusivity. The state relies on more than $11 billion in federal funding each year to cover about 75% of its Medicaid program, known as the Oregon Health Plan. That funding could be more than cut in half if the Republican tax bill passes, according to Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner. State officials say the bill also has the potential to leave hundreds of thousands of low-income Oregonians without health insurance. Republicans behind the bill say it will deliver large tax cuts, increase immigration security and impose welfare reform. Oregon leaders have called the bill financially irresponsible and a way to punish states that provide Medicaid regardless of citizenship status, and to patients seeking gender-affirming care and reproductive health care, including abortion. Oregon Health Plan benefits have not changed at this time, and the Oregon Health Authority is still assessing the bill's potential impacts, agency spokesperson Amy Bacher told the Capital Chronicle. One in three Oregonians are enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan. This includes more than half of the state's kids, as well as seniors who rely on Medicaid-funded nursing home support and individuals with caregiving needs. The bill would mandate that twice a year state officials verify all adults enrolled in Medicaid have worked or participated in community service for at least 80 hours each month. These requirements would create unnecessary paperwork burdens for low-income people already working, and disincentivize people from enrolling, resulting in 100,000 to 200,000 Oregonians losing their insurance for not complying with the policy, Oregon Health Authority's Medicaid director, Emma Sandoe, told the Oregon Senate Health Care Committee on Tuesday afternoon. 'When people lose coverage, that also means reduced federal dollars coming into Oregon,' Sandoe said. The work requirements alone could reduce federal funding by $1.4 billion per year, she said. Over 10 years, that would result in a loss of up to $16 billion in federal funding for the Oregon Health Plan. These estimates do not include additional funding cuts caused by other provisions in the bill. Another provision of the bill would prohibit federal funds from Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, from going toward gender transition procedures for minors. Beginning in 2026, that prohibition would expand to adults. LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non LGBTQ+ adults to have Medicaid as their primary source of insurance, according to the Williams Institute at University of California, Los Angeles. About 7,000 Oregonians use Medicaid to receive gender-affirming care, Sandoe said. LGBTQ+ advocates in Oregon said the bill is another aggressive step from the Trump administration to target transgender Americans. 'If this bill passes, more transgender people will die,' Blair Stenvick, a spokesperson for the nonprofit advocacy group Basic Rights Oregon, told the Capital Chronicle. 'Gender-affirming care costs are a minuscule fraction of all Medicaid costs, and singling out transgender people — both youth and adults — is an intentional, ideological move from a fascist government obsessed with controlling people's bodies and personal decisions at all costs.' The federal government would match 80% rather than 90% of Oregon's Medicaid funding unless the state ends its program insuring people regardless of citizenship status. That drop in matching funds would amount to a $1 billion loss each year, Sandoe told the committee. Oregon is one of seven states that offers Medicaid to eligible adults regardless of immigration status and one of 14 states, plus Washington, D.C., that covers children regardless of immigration status. In 2017, the state passed a 'Cover All Kids' program to extend Oregon Health Plan benefits to children regardless of immigration status. In 2022, the state allowed all eligible adults regardless of their immigration status access to health coverage through 'Healthier Oregon.' About 100,000 people are enrolled in the program. The bill would prohibit Medicaid reimbursement for 10 years to organizations that provide abortions. Federal funding for abortion has been prohibited for decades under the Hyde Amendment, but the bill would block organizations like Planned Parenthood and other nonprofit providers from receiving reimbursements for other reproductive health services, such as family planning and cancer screenings. There are 12 Planned Parenthood centers in Oregon, Sandoe said, providing pap smears, cervical and breast cancer screenings and STD treatments, among other services to mostly low-income Oregonians. About 70% of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette patients use Medicaid, the nonprofit's CEO and President Sara Kennedy told the committee. The nonprofit operates clinics in Vancouver, Washington, the Portland metro area, Salem, Bend and Ontario. 'Abortion access will absolutely suffer,' she said, noting that only 10% of patients visiting the nonprofit receive abortions. Planned Parenthood affiliates in Oregon already operate with a budget deficit because Medicaid reimbursement rates do not cover the full costs of providing care, she said. The federal bill would only exacerbate the nonprofit's deficit. 'If this bill passes, cancers will go undetected and untreated,' she said. 'Pregnancies will become more dangerous — not just for Planned Parenthood patients — but for our entire population, and that is even here in a state that has incredible protections for reproductive health care.' The bill would also cap or freeze the taxes states can impose on medical providers — a strategy all states except Alaska use to increase the number of state dollars for Medicaid that can then be matched by federal dollars. States rely on provider taxes to fund 17% of their Medicaid spending, according to most recent data available from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Republicans target a tax that keeps state Medicaid programs running In March, Gov. Tina Kotek signed a bill into law extending its taxes on medical providers through 2032. These taxes fund about a quarter of the Oregon Health Plan, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. 'States will be forced to take on a larger share of the burden of paying for Medicaid — an impossible task, given that Oregon is already dealing with a budget deficit,' Oregon's U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, a Democrat representing the state's 6th Congressional District, told the Capital Chronicle. All five of Oregon's Democratic U.S. House Representatives opposed the bill. Oregon's sole Republican congressman, U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, representing the state's 2nd District, voted in favor of the bill. Oregon's U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat, said the stakes for the bill are 'truly life and death' for Americans. 'Taking away health insurance and benefits like home care and mental health care from seniors, people with disabilities, kids, and working families will be deadly,' he said in a news release. 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Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon House passes bill to prohibit housing discrimination based on immigration status
Oregonians hold signs protesting the Trump administration's immigration policies, on May 1, 2025. (Mia Maldonado / Oregon Capital Chronicle) In a 36-15 vote, the Oregon House on Monday passed a bill to prohibit landlords from asking tenants about their immigration status. Senate Bill 599 — similar to laws in Washington, California and New York — would prevent landlords from discriminating against an individual based on the type of identification documents provided to them. It also prevents landlords from disclosing or threatening to disclose an applicant's or tenant's immigration status. The bill already passed the Senate in a 21-8 vote. It is now headed to the governor's desk, where Gov. Tina Kotek can sign it into law, veto it or allow it to become law without her signature. It would take effect 30 days once put into law. Oregon in 1987 was the first state in the U.S. to pass a sanctuary law prohibiting state and local law enforcement from helping federal officials to enforce immigration law. As the Trump administration has heightened its immigration enforcement, Kotek has repeatedly said she supports Oregon's immigrant community and will uphold Oregon's sanctuary law. 'This bill is about more than documents — it's about dignity,' chief bill sponsor Rep. Ricki Ruiz, D-Gresham, said in a press release. 'No Oregonian should have to live in fear that where they were born could cost them their home. This bill makes it clear: housing is a human right, and discrimination has no place in Oregon.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oregon bill would allow youth to vote in school board elections
Nilani Maheswaran, a Beaverton high school student, advocates for House Bill 3012 in front of the Oregon State Capitol in Salem on May 19, 2025. (Mia Maldonado / Oregon Capital Chronicle) Some Oregon students are pushing lawmakers to pass a bill to allow them to vote in school board elections. House Bill 3012, introduced earlier this year, would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in nonpartisan school board elections starting in 2029. A group of youth voting advocates met outside the Oregon Capitol on Monday morning to encourage legislators to take up the bill — one day before school board elections take place across Oregon. Oregon automatically registers 16- and 17-year-olds when they obtain driver's licenses, but they do not receive a ballot until they are 18. Meanwhile, there are 21 states that allow 17-year-olds to vote in primaries if they will be 18 by the general election, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, and some U.S. cities allow teens to vote in local elections. But Oregon teens like Nilani Maheswaran, a Beaverton high school student, said she should be allowed to vote on issues impacting her education because she works, drives and pays taxes. The issues that concern her the most in her school are staff shortages, mental health support and high student to teacher ratios. 'We want to work with our teachers and board members on the issues we care about, but that can't happen until we're given a seat at the table,' Maheswaran said. Katie Jin, a Portland high schooler, said she transferred to a private school after her local school board cut the programs she cared about. While she understands not all Oregon students have this option, she said all students regardless of their socioeconomic status should have a say in the school policies and programs they want. 'This starts by giving youth voices in their schools to elect school board members, who best represent them and will listen to their needs, challenges and experiences,' Jin said. In 2023, teens and Democrats unsuccessfully proposed an amendment to Oregon's constitution to lower the state's voting age to 16. That proposal received a hearing, but it died upon the legislative session's adjournment. Rep. Willy Chotzen, a Portland Democrat and bill sponsor, said the bill is a powerful tool to allow students to understand the democratic process. As of 2021, Oregon implemented a law requiring students to complete at least half a credit of civics to graduate. 'If we want an active, engaged and responsible set of Oregonians in the future, we can do that by encouraging them to learn civics and to participate in democracy, not just in the classroom, not just hypothetically, but at the ballot box,' Chotzen said. However, many Oregonians oppose the bill. For the bill hearing in the House Rules Committee, 150 letters of testimony were submitted in opposition to the bill while 211 were submitted in favor. Many of those who opposed the bill shared concerns that teens are not mature enough to vote and that they are more easily influenced by ads or peer pressure than adults. Others pointed out that while youth can drive and work, they still cannot purchase tobacco, guns or alcohol. The bill has already received a public hearing on the House side, but it has yet to be scheduled for a work session, which is the next step needed to reach the House floor. It would have to pass both chambers before reaching the governor's desk, where the governor can sign it into law, veto it or allow it to become law without her signature. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Idaho Capital Sun wins 13 Idaho Press Club awards at annual banquet
The Idaho Capital Sun staff at the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. From left to right are reporter Mia Maldonado, editor-in-chief Christina Lords, reporter Kyle Pfannenstiel and senior reporter Clark Corbin. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) The Idaho Capital Sun took home 13 awards — including four first-place finishes — in the Idaho Press Club's Best of 2024 Awards contest. The winners were announced at the press club's annual banquet, held Saturday at the Boise Centre. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Idaho Capital Sun reporter Mia Maldonado took home two first place awards: one for her Spanish-language news coverage as well one award in the serious feature report category. Idaho Capital Sun editor-in-chief Christina Lords took home first place awards in the editorial writing category as well as the best newsletter category for The Sunrise. Reporter Kyle Pfannenstiel took home second place in the competitive reporter of the year-publication category. In addition, Kelcie Moseley Morris, a reporter for the Idaho Capital Sun's parent nonprofit States Newsroom, took home two awards. The Sun, part of the nonprofit States Newsroom network with news outlets and news partnerships to cover state government in all 50 U.S. states, celebrated its four-year anniversary on March 31. To sign up for the Capital Sun's free morning newsletter, go to or to donate to continue to support its award-winning work, go to Here is the full rundown of the Idaho Capital Sun and States Newsroom awards: Christina Lords, Best Newsletter – All Media category: The Sunrise Christina Lords, Editorial – Daily category: 717 bills have been drafted. Not one fixes the disenfranchisement of thousands of Idaho voters Mia Maldonado, Series Feature Report – Daily category: Idaho librarians contemplate leaving work — and the state — as a result of proposed legislation Mia Maldonado, Best Spanish-Language Media Award – Publication category: Various stories Clark Corbin, Series – Daily category: State of Idaho's Luma business system transition Christina Lords, Special Purpose Publication – Online Only category: 2024 Voter Guide Mia Maldonado, Elections Report – Daily category: Hundreds of thousands spent in support and opposition of Idaho's Proposition 1 Mia Maldonado, Kyle Pfannenstiel, Political Report – Daily category: 'We are not getting rid of books': How libraries across Idaho are implementing new materials law Kelcie Moseley-Morris, General News Story – Daily category: Idaho's pregnant patients airlifted to other states without EMTALA protection Kyle Pfannenstiel, Reporter of the Year – Publication, All Media category Kyle Pfannenstiel, Health/Medical Report – Daily category: Idaho removed 185,000 people from Medicaid. Over a fifth have re-enrolled Becca Renk, Opinion – Daily category: In Idaho, education spending falls short. Here are lessons we can learn from Nicaragua Heath Druzin, Religion Report – Daily category: Trump's Defense secretary nominee has close ties to Idaho Christian nationalists Mia Maldonado, Education Report – Daily category: Federal grants offer Idaho prison students a second chance at college education Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Serious Feature Report – Daily category: U.S. Supreme Court urged to protect ER abortions ahead of arguments Staff, Best Website – All Media category: SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A ban on book bans: Oregon bill would protect access to library materials
As Republican lawmakers across the U.S. have implemented laws allowing individuals to request the removal of books they believe are harmful to minors — such as in neighboring Idaho as shown in the photo above — Democratic Oregon lawmakers are taking a different approach through Senate Bill 1098. (Mia Maldonado/Idaho Capital Sun) Oregon lawmakers are taking steps to protect access to library materials written by diverse authors or that include themes of race, gender or sexual orientation. On Wednesday afternoon, the House Education Committee heard public comments on Senate Bill 1098, which would prohibit schools and library districts from removing books with stories about religion, disability, LGBTQ+ issues or other characteristics of a protected class in Oregon's anti-discrimination law in public education. As Republican lawmakers across the U.S. have passed laws to restrict access to certain books and limit discussions around diversity, equity, and inclusion, Democratic Oregon lawmakers are taking steps to ensure that books by diverse authors remain accessible to readers. The bill does not remove existing standards for determining if a book is appropriate, but it adds the additional requirement that a book cannot be excluded or removed because of the perspective it represents, said bill sponsor Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland. 'If folks only allege there's inappropriate material when that material is by or about a protected class, then that's when there's a problem,' Frederick said. Public libraries and schools saw more attempts to remove books between July 2023 and 2024 than in any year since the Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse at the State Library began tracking challenges. Nearly 90% of those challenges were to books written by or about underrepresented groups, according to a letter State Librarian Wendy Cornelisen submitted to lawmakers. This is the second time Frederick brings this bill to the statehouse. Frederick proposed a similar bill last year, which passed the Senate in a 17-12 vote, but the bill died as the five-week 2024 legislative session ended. This year's attempt passed the Senate on a party-line 18-10 vote and awaits action in the House. Most of the fifteen people who signed up to speak to the committee supported the bill, including several parents, an author and representatives from LGBTQ+ and library advocacy groups such as ACLU of Oregon and the Oregon Library Association. 'This bill is a tool to save Oregon schools and parents' time and energy,' said Bridget Tyler, a Corvallis parent. 'It doesn't take power away from parents. It sets limits that prevent people who don't have children in our kids' schools from interfering in our choices.' Three Republican lawmakers spoke in opposition to the bill, including Sen. Noah Robinson, R-Cave Junction, who said he is concerned that public school libraries carry inappropriate materials that are 'sexually explicit' and have 'heavy profanity.' Rep. Emily McIntire, R-Eagle Point, said the bill is redundant because schools already must follow non-discrimination policies. Rep. Dwayne Yunker, R-Grants Pass, said the bill would silence parents and school boards who raise concerns about education materials presented in Oregon public schools. The committee will decide whether to advance the bill during a work session at a later date. From there, it would need a vote by the full House and then head to Gov. Tina Kotek, who could choose to veto the bill, sign it into law, or allow it to become law without her signature. Upon becoming law, the bill would take effect immediately. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
