Health Care

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the maintenance of good health. We acknowledge that personal health depends on public health and that public health requires the health of the natural, built, and social environments. The health status of others provides benefits to all, including future generations. We the People must:

• use precautionary, preventive approaches in decisions regarding public and private health concerns;

• monitor toxic chemical facilities and prohibit locating such facilities near residential areas, especially minority and low-income communities;

• recognize that comprehensive health care, not tied to employment and including medical, vision, dental, mental health services and hospitalization, is a basic right for all Oregonians;

• create a single-payer health care system managed by a representative group of stakeholders;

• ensure that our health care system includes medical providers such as doctors, nurse practitioners, hospitals, and clinics; ensure that this system provides a wide range of options and services, including access to all licensed health care practitioners;

• guarantee the right of all patients to choose their health care providers;

• guarantee the right of all patients to make personal medical decisions, including those involving abortion and the end of life;

• continue support for Oregon’s Death with Dignity law;

• mandate coverage for contraception in all health plans, to reduce the need for abortions and improve women’s and children’s health. An eventual single-payer health care system would also provide this benefit;

• protect the right of women to choose a medical abortion; and

• ensure the availability of rehabilitation and adaptive aids, to allow those with disabilities to achieve maximum independence.

The Pacific Green Party of Oregon has endorsed the All Oregon Health Plan

.