SB 1598 – Requires certain health benefit plans to provide coverage for preventive health services in accordance with federal rules in effect on June 30, 2025, and immunizations recommended by the Public Health Officer in the future. Gives the Public Health Officer the power to make some health benefit plans provide coverage for vaccines. Authorizes the Public Health Officer, or designated physician, to issue a standing order for a prescription to control, prevent, mitigate or treat any infectious or noninfectious disease or other significant public health concern. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
SUBMIT TESTIMONY HERE before 2/11 by 3pm.
This is one more creeping crawl towards the “death panel” conspiracy theory by authorizing a “public authority” to mandate any medical procedure or injection statewide without individual consent, and doctor input. When decision-making is centralized to the State and accountability is eliminated, parental choice, medical discretion, and informed choice are weakened and in some instances eliminated.
SB1598 Is concerning and unacceptable for the health of Oregonians.
- Gives unchecked authority to unelected public health officials to make decisions affecting all of us, without further legislation or public debate.
- Overrides doctors and removes ability of doctors to make decisions in the best interest of their patients.
- Clears the way of automatic medical mandates which affects access to schools — without another legislative vote or public input.
- Creates forced state-wide compliance by invoking a one-size-fits-all medical orders without individual consent. This is authoritarian, not democratic.