The Act keeps certain provider taxes in place. Extends the assessment on earnings from health plan premiums, the assessment on payments by the Oregon Health Authority to managed care organizations, the assessment on hospitals and the Oregon Reinsurance Program. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.
Renews a near half-billion in taxes on hospitals and health insurance premiums.
Part of this health care tax is structured to access extra Federal Medicaid funds in a very complex, contrived process. This is unfair to other states that have not created such tax structures designed to access Federal tax funds.
This current, half-billion dollar tax on your own health insurance premiums and upon hospitals themselves is why healthcare is so expensive.
This is why we have nurses strikes because hospitals cannot afford to hire more staff with taxes so high. This is why medical centers are closing in Oregon — they face higher taxes and shrinking customers.