Overview

Over 117,000 Oregon children go without health insurance. Over 90 percent of uninsured children live in families where at least one parent works, but steeply rising insurance costs put coverage out of reach.

Children without health insurance are more likely to end up in the emergency room. It's terrible for them, and it actually ends up costing more. Health insurance premiums are about 10 percent higher due to costly emergency room care for the uninsured.

It’s only fair to give children guaranteed access to checkups, preventative care and other treatment. And it’s only fair to raise Oregon's tobacco tax to help pay for the program, discourage young people from starting smoking, and help Oregonians quit.