Keep Oregon Weird
Perhaps you've seen the bumper sticker "Keep Portland Weird" but the truth is, the whole state seems to be a bit "off the rails". Two recent articles demonstrate just how forward looking the state's health system has become. Barbara Wagner's cancer came back and she was told by letter, "Treatment of advanced cancer that is meant to prolong life, or change the course of this disease, is not a covered benefit of the Oregon Health Plan." But the same letter "that it would cover palliative, or comfort, care, including, if she chose, doctor-assisted suicide " (emphasis mine). If she were the only case one might figure it was a bureaucratic screw-up. Yet this not the case; Randy Stroup, 53-years-old found out a drug that could help make his last few months more bearable wasn't covered by the Oregon Health Plan. Like Barbara, he too, was offered coverage for suicide. Oregon will stop living wage jobs for the sake of an owl. Oregon...