
Unhealthy Debt
The high cost of health care, expensive monthly insurance premiums, high deductibles, and expenses not covered by insurance all add to health care’s strain on Oregonians’ finances. One indication of the financial burden of health care is the number of Oregonians filing for bankruptcy who report having medical debt. To help consumers, Oregon policymakers should pursue a variety of policies to reduce the high cost of health care, including a state-level public insurance option.