Health Care
Information regarding my stance on Health Care issues.
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, and U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), are expressing serious concern over the planned closure of labor and delivery services at Providence Seaside and call on Providence Health & Services to support families and clinicians affected by the decision.
On Monday, U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, an Oregon Democrat, met with a dozen providers of victims’ services, saying she is “extremely concerned” about numerous cuts on the federal level that are or will be filtering down to Oregon.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici said her office has been flooded with calls from constituents, hospital administrators and food banks who are “overwhelmingly opposed” to the plan. “This is one of the worst pieces of policy I’ve ever seen as a lawmaker,” Bonamici said, speaking from just off the House floor during a virtual press conference on Wednesday. “It’s going to have devastating consequences for Oregonians and people across the country.”
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici argued for changes in the President’s Bill:
“Stop the harm that will come from these devastating cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. I met with hospital leaders, the hospital association, the leaders of the community health clinics. The word that they agreed was applicable is catastrophic. 97% of Oregonians have insurance, and that is because we have been very innovative and forward with Medicaid expansion and one in three Oregonians, including many children get their healthcare through Medicaid.”
More than a dozen organizations that provide help to hundreds of people sounded the alarm Monday that services for domestic violence survivors in Oregon are about to be drastically cut.
Bonamici understands the issues and the need for funding. She vowed to do what she can to keep the money coming.
“Sometimes people think there isn’t anything that’s bipartisan. There’s a bill with more than 200 bipartisan co-sponsors and I’m going to do everything I can to get that through,” Bonamici said.
While Republicans have said the cuts are part of an effort to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse and making sure able-bodied adults are working if they’re on Medicaid, they’re really about tax cuts for the rich, Bonamici said.
“The people getting the tax cuts don’t really need the tax cuts,” the congresswoman said. “But look at the consequences, those who will suffer.”
Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici heard from hospital leaders during a roundtable discussion on Wednesday, including representatives from Oregon Health & Science University, Legacy Health, and Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria.
Erik Thorsen, CEO of Columbia Memorial, said that rural areas are already struggling to provide specialty care, which often requires patients to travel long distances for treatment.
U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Maxine Dexter joined Planned Parenthood leaders on Tuesday to decry the Republican majority’s budget reconciliation bill as a potentially devastating blow to the organization and to thousands of Oregon patients.“I’m disgusted by the bill that passed,” Bonamici, a Beaverton Democrat, said at a news conference at Planned Parenthood’s Northeast Portland Health Center.