“Measure 111 added a section to the Oregon Constitution establishing a right to ‘cost-effective, clinically appropriate and affordable health care’ for every Oregon resident. The amendment required the state to balance the obligation of ensuring a right to healthcare against funding public schools and other essential public services. The amendment stated that legal remedies for lawsuits brought against the proposed section may not interfere with the balance between a right to healthcare and funding other essential public services.[2]
“This was the first amendment adopted by any state to secure a right to affordable healthcare for all state residents. Click here to see what other state constitutions say about health and healthcare.[3]“
Source: Ballotpedia, Oregon Measure 111, Right to Healthcare Amendment (2022), Accessed July 4, 2026.
“The Legislature created the Universal Health Plan Governance Board in 2023 (Senate Bill 1089) to design a publicly funded health care system for Oregon, building on the earlier Joint Task Force on Universal Health Care (Senate Bill 770, 2019). The board is charged with:
- “Designing models for a publicly funded health plan covering everyone who lives in Oregon.
- “Planning how the plan would be run, how to pay for it, and how it would work statewide.
- “Getting input from people living in Oregon, such as health care users, providers, employers, insurers, tribes, and community leaders, as dictated by statute.
- “Delivering final recommendations to the Legislature for consideration in 2027.
“This work is guided by technical analysis, legal review, economic modeling, and broad public input.
“The board has nine members, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate. At least five bring expertise in health care delivery, finance, or administration, and four represent community perspectives. By law, at least one member must have personal experience with barriers to care, ensuring that lived experience informs decisions.
Source: About Universal Health Plan Governance Board, State of Oregon, Accessed July 4, 2026.
Oregon Universal Health Plan Governance Board
Oregon: Demographic and Economic Data
Population estimate, July 1, 2025 (Census Bureau Data Vintage 2025): 4,273,586
Persons under 5 years, 2025 (%) (V2025): 4.6%
Persons 65 years and over (%) (V2025): 21.0%
Persons without health uninsurance under age 65 years, 2024 (%) (2024 American Community Survey): 6.4%
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2024 dollars), 2020-2024: $45,612
Source: US Census Bureau, “QuickFacts: Oregon,” Accessed July 4, 2026.
Maryland: All-Payer Model
• The AHEAD (Achieving Healthcare Efficiency through Accountable Design) Model
Oregon: Universal Health Plan
Washington: WA Cares Fund
Health System Overview
Health System Rankings
Health System Outcomes
Health Expenditures
Health System Financing
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Preventive Healthcare
World Health Systems Facts is a project of the Real Reporting Foundation. We provide reliable statistics and other data from authoritative sources regarding health systems and policies in the US and sixteen other OECD member nations.
Page last updated July 4, 2026 by Doug McVay, Editor.