Healthy Kids: An Oregon Priority

Healthy Kids: An Oregon Priority

Among those who testified in support of SB 31 and HB 2201 were two SEIU 503 members, Carlie Jackson (left) and Virginia Santillan (center).

Listen to this hearing.
Click on 2007 Session/Archives of Committee Sessions/House Committees/Health Care/ 1/22, 9:57 a.m.

This is a great week for Oregon's children. This week the Oregon Senate, House and Governor begin making good on a promise to Oregon's families. They have put Health Care for Kids at the top of their agenda, which will guarantee secure and permanent health care for every child in Oregon.

Senate Bill 31 and House Bill 2201 —both created to provide health care coverage for all Oregon children —went before a joint legislative Health Care Committee January 22 with tremendous support from the Governor, legislators and other advocates.

Among those testifying in support of these bills were two SEIU 503 members, Carlie Jackson and Virginia Santillan.

Virginia Santillan, a child care provider and SEIU member, explained the hardship she and her family have endured without insurance coverage. One of her grandsons, Axel, has a heart problem and although the family makes too much money to qualify for assistance, they can’t afford health insurance.

"We’re all worried because Axel is not getting any better. He was born with two holes in his heart and the last exam showed that the lining in his heart is getting thicker. Because he didn’t have health insurance last summer, the whole family had to pitch in to raise the $1,400 for an exam he has to have every two years."

Kids must go to the front of the line — 12% of Oregon's children do not have health care on any given day. That means there are 117,000 kids in our state, right now, who are at risk because they do not have health care coverage. The Healthy Kids Plan is a critical first step if we ever hope to improve our health care system.

During the hearing on Monday, Governor Kulongoski testified that 91% of Oregon's uninsured children have at least one working parent. He urged the committee to endorse this legislation and get it to his desk for signature.

Carlie Jackson, a 503 member and a Salem DHS worker who determines medical eligibility, said, "We can either be a hero or a villain, depending on whether we're able to grant a client's medical coverage."

Speaking to the committee members she added, "You (the committee members) can be the heroes and help us out by ensuring that all kids are covered in the future."

"Our children are our most valuable resource and we want to provide these resources with good health," stated Karen Elliott, a Registered Nurse of 35 years and a member of the Oregon Nurses Association, one of the organizations instrumental in bringing these bills to fruition.

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