The Shutdown Puts Our Health Care at Risk

As Oregonians, we might feel federal gridlock is happening somewhere else. But this year’s government shutdown lands squarely in our communities, threatening the health care coverage that almost every family in our state depends on.

The debate in Washington, D.C., isn’t about dollars and cents—it is about power and priorities. Some leaders claim the shutdown was necessary to prevent “free healthcare for illegal immigrants,” but that’s not grounded in fact. Since the passage of the 1986 Reagan-era Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), hospitals that accept Medicare are required to offer urgent care to anyone in a life-threatening condition, regardless of citizenship status. EMTALA does not allow comprehensive coverage—it’s an emergency backstop, not health insurance. It exists to protect patients from being rejected and dying in ER waiting rooms. A budget bill cannot undo EMTALA.

The real threat is closer to home: federal proposals to roll back funding for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medicaid would have direct, devastating effects in Oregon and across the nation. More than 200,000 Oregonians are projected to lose health care coverage. The ACA and Oregon Health Plan (OHP) had achieved for Oregon the lowest uninsured rates in the country. In 2013, more than 21% of Oregonians were uninsured; by 2023, that number dropped to under 8%—a massive shift driven by expanded Medicaid and accessible marketplace coverage. Currently, about 1.3 million Oregonians—roughly one in three—receive care through Medicaid, including more than half of all our children. For many rural counties, elders, and vulnerable families, Medicaid and ACA subsidies are the difference between regular doctor visits and going without care.

When Congress falls into a partisan stalemate, Oregonians are at risk. As lawmakers allow ACA subsidies and Medicaid support to expire or shrink, insurance companies anticipate the uncertainty and raise premiums now, before Congress approves the final budget. Open enrollment for insurance coverage through the ACA Marketplace begins on November 1. Any prolonged indecision will drive thousands off their current plans as price increases push premiums beyond reach. If we don’t stop these sweeping cuts, rural hospitals and nursing homes will close, and those who struggle most will pay the steepest price.

It’s easy to view the ACA or Medicaid as abstract policy topics. But for Oregon, these programs mean stable premiums for the self-employed, security for parents, and better health outcomes for kids in Linn and Benton Counties and across the state.

The 2025 shutdown is not about deficit reduction; it’s about whether health care remains a core value for Americans and whether political gamesmanship trumps the common good.

Shutting the government may win political points elsewhere, but here in Oregon, it risks dismantling decades of progress. Strong communities thrive on shared health and security, not endless brinkmanship.

Oregonians can thank their Senators and Representatives for fighting to keep health care off the chopping block. Senator Merkley, on October 23-24, completed a 23-hour filibuster to protect our health care. He and our other members of Congress know that behind every line item in the budget is a neighbor, a child, or a senior who counts on them to do the right thing.

Please take a few moments to write a letter or send a phone message of gratitude to Senators Merkley and Wyden, and Representative Hoyle for their efforts to protect our democracy and our health care. Then tell the President what you think.

Please also join with churches and social justice organizations, such as Indivisible, NAACP, and Mid Valley Health Care Advocates to pursue the common good, protect our democracy, and fight for universal health care.

– Mike Huntington