YOU LOVE TO SEE IT: Health Care Becomes A Human Right

Friends:

Good things are happening! For the first time in U.S. history, voters made affordable health care a state constitutional right. Meanwhile, Arizona voters are passing ballot measures to fight dark money and expand academic assistance. Also, a city in Ohio is eliminating millions in medical debt and San Franciscans score a win for housing justice.

Read about all these state and local victories in this week’s edition of You Love To See It below, a weekly feature reviewing good news, progress, and action steps for Lever supporting subscribers.

Oregon Enshrines The Right To Health Care

On Monday, Oregon voters passed Measure 111, making affordable health care a fundamental human right. It is the first state in the country to change its constitution in order to enshrine the right to health care. The measure states: “It is the obligation of the state to ensure that every resident of Oregon has access to cost-effective, clinically appropriate and affordable health care as a fundamental right.”

By including the right to affordable health care in its constitution, Oregon would be given more authority to address rising health care costs and prevent the legislature from cutting current recipients from Medicaid, including undocumented immigrants.

Passing Measure 111 and securing the constitutional right to health care was a lifelong goal of Portland Democrat Mitch Greenlick, who served in the state’s legislature and attempted at least eight times in 16 years to bring such a proposal before voters. Greenlick passed away in 2020, after advocating the proposal in that year’s legislative session.

A Rare Win Against Dark Money