Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Health Care
Wyden Statement on New Health System Comparisons Report by the Commonweal Fund
Washington, D.C. - "This new report confirms what I hear from folks at town hall meetings all across Oregon: they want access to quality health care that can't be taken away, even if they lose or change their job," said U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Finance Committee. "We have the best health care professionals in the world. We spend enough money on health care. We just don't spend it in the right places. Senator Bob Bennett (R-UT) and I and two of our House colleagues have … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden Hails Decision to Expand Health Care to Vets in Eastern Oregon through New Clinic in La Grande
Portland - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) today applauded the decision by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a Community Based Outpatient Clinic for veterans in La Grande.Wyden, who has lobbied hard for a La Grande clinic, said that according to preliminary projections his office has received from the Walla Walla, Washington, VA Medical Center (VAMC) planning staff, approximately 1,570 Eastern Oregon veterans will be able to receive care at the new La Grande outpatient … Continue Reading
May 22, 2007
Wyden, Bennett, Baird Join CEOs of Top U.S. Companies to Push for Health Care Reform
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Bob Bennett (R-UT) and U.S. Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) today joined forces with the CEOs of several of the nation's largest companies to announce that the CEOs have formed a coalition to push for health care reform before the end of the 110th Congress.Last week, the Healthy Americans Act, which reflects many of the same goals as the CEOs announced today, picked up steam in Congress as Bennett, a senior member of the Republican leadership, … Continue Reading
April 25, 2007
Smith-Wyden Look at Options to Cover the Uninsured
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) reintroduced legislation today that would improve access to health insurance for uninsured Americans and those with catastrophic health care costs. The measure, the Catastrophic Health Coverage Promotion Act, would create at least four state-based pilot projects that target the uninsured and individuals with catastrophic health care costs. Under the legislation, Oregon is guaranteed to be awarded at least one of the … Continue Reading
April 06, 2007
Wyden Statement on White House Veto Threat to Proposed Medicare Drug Reforms
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released the following statement this evening following the President's threat to veto legislation seeking to reform the Medicare prescription drug benefit:"Spiraling costs and the low levels of participation we've seen so far may jeopardize the survival of the hard-won Medicare drug benefit. Ignoring those obvious problems and threatening to veto any solutions isn't a productive or responsible reaction. Making changes to contain costs and … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden, Feingold: Put Money Where the Reform Is When it Comes to Health Care
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Russ Feingold (D-WI), both members of the Budget Committee, today offered an amendment during consideration of the 2008 budget to create a reserve fund to cover different types of health reform that may be approved during the congressional session."There are a wide variety of views about what's needed to fix health care. I have a plan - the Healthy Americans Act - that would provide every American with affordable, private health care … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden Proposes Historic New Health Care Plan;Effort Has Business and Labor Support
Washington, D.C. - Following 60 years of gridlock on a desperately-needed overhaul of the nation's health care system, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Finance Committee, today unveiled a groundbreaking new proposal to provide affordable, high quality, private health coverage for everyone regardless of where they work or live.The plan, known as the Healthy Americans Act:-- guarantees private health care coverage that cannot be taken away for all Americans;-- provides benefits for all … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Wyden: Health Care Change Must Come at Federal Level
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today introduced legislation that would give every American the same kind of coverage that Members of Congress receive for the same amount being spent on health care today.Under the legislation, all Americans - including the 46 million uninsured - would be covered by health care insurance for no more than is spent today. The legislation also contains tough cost containment and according to the influential … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Snowe, Wyden Act to Require HHS Secretaryto Negotiate or Medicare Prescription Drugs
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), both members of the Senate Finance Committee, are slated tomorrow to introduce legislation to make the Medicare program a "smarter shopper" by requiring the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to negotiate with drug companies for prices under certain circumstances."The rapidly escalating price of prescription drugs threatens to undermine the very drug benefit Congress passed to deliver real savings to … Continue Reading
April 04, 2007
Bipartisan Blueprint for Health ReformTen Senate Leaders Say, "Let's Fix Health Care Now."Senators of Both Parties Hope to Work with the President
Washington, D.C. - In an strong message to President George W. Bush, 10 senators - five from each party - today sent a straightforward letter to the President inviting him to work with them to fix the nation's health care system. The Senators, from different parts of the country and different parts of the political spectrum, have one thing in common: each of them believes that that the status quo on health care is unacceptable. Further delay is intolerable as costs continue to skyrocket, our … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Snowe, Wyden Urge HHS Secretary to Reconsider Position to Allow Negotiation for Medicare Prescription Drugs
Washington, D.C. Following criticism by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt that allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices would create government run health care and fail to lower prices, U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) today urged Leavitt to reconsider his position in the wake of building momentum to take this step to bring lower drug prices for seniors.We believe sound management of the [Medicare] program would mean … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden, Snowe Urge HHS Secretary Leavitt to Support Extension of Medicare Drug Benefit Deadline Without Penalty
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), both members of the Senate Finance Committee, urged Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Michael Leavitt to support an extension without penalty of the enrollment period for those seniors signing up for the Medicare Drug Benefit through December 31st of this year. The Senators are concerned that without an extension, the cost to seniors could be devastating, leading many to not sign up for the benefit and … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Smith-Wyden Unveil Health Care Plan
PORTLAND, OR - Today, U.S. Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) unveiled a proposal creating a pilot program to give access to provide health insurance to uninsured Americans and those with catastrophic health care costs. The Catastrophic Health Coverage Promotion Act creates at least four state-based pilot projects that target the uninsured and individuals with catastrophic … Continue Reading
December 06, 2006
Wyden blocks legislation to overturnOregon's physician aid in dying law
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today took swift action to prevent the U.S. Senate from considering legislation that squarely takes aim at Oregon's physician aid in dying law and the will of the state's voters."We are just two months from Election Day in which local, state, and federal elections will be held. Many states will have numerous ballot initiatives covering every issue imaginable. Voters need to know they can debate even the most emotional wrenching issues through the … Continue Reading
December 05, 2006
Wyden, DeFazio, Blumenauer, Hooley and Wu Back Oregon Voters as Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments on Assisted Suicide Case
Washington, DC As the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in a case aimed at overturning Oregons twice-approved physician-assisted suicide law, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Darlene Hooley (D-Ore.) and David Wu (D-Ore.) reiterated their support for the states case. Earlier this year, these members of Oregons congressional delegation filed an amicus brief opposing efforts by the U.S. Department of Justice to overturn … Continue Reading
December 04, 2006
Wyden, Smith Take Aim at Oregon's Growing Meth Problem
Washington, DC - U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today took steps to stop the creation, distribution and use of methamphetamine, now the second most-treated drug addiction among Oregon teens. Wyden and Smith joined U.S. Senators Jim Talent (R-Mo.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to unveil the "Combat Meth Act." The legislation would provide resources and tools to help law enforcement officials and prosecutors to pursue and punish producers and distributors of meth, … Continue Reading
December 04, 2006
Wyden Introduces Budget Amendment to Allow HHS SecretaryTo Negotiate for Prescription Drugs
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today introduced an amendment to the Budget Reconciliation Act that would strengthen the drug coverage offered to seniors under the 2003 Medicare prescription drug benefit. The amendment, offered with Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), is based on the Medicare Enhancement for Needed Drugs (MEND) legislation Wyden and Snowe introduced earlier this … Continue Reading
September 19, 2006
Wyden, Snowe "MEND" Act Will Enhance Drug Coverage Under New Medicare Law, Confront Spiraling Costs
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced the bipartisan Medicare Enhancement for Needed Drugs Act (MEND Act) today, legislation that would strengthen the drug coverage offered to seniors under the recently enacted Medicare prescription drug benefit. The MEND Act directly addresses the crisis of skyrocketing drug costs; it grants the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the specific authority to negotiate lower prices for … Continue Reading
July 07, 2004
Umpqua Community Health Center to Receive Nearly $600,000
WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced today that the Umpqua Community Health Center will receive $588,667 for continuation of comprehensive primary care services. The grant is issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Far too many Oregonians have no health insurance or not enough health insurance, said Smith. The Umpqua Center serves Douglas County by providing vital, quality health care to those who would otherwise suffer … Continue Reading
June 21, 2004
Frist, Wyden Tackle Childhood Obesity with Legislation to Empower Kids, Schools
Washington, DC - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today introduced legislation to address the fast-growing problem of obesity among American youth. The "Childhood Obesity Reduction Act" would encourage school-aged children to increase their physical activity and make better nutritional choices by promoting school and community-based activities to improve children's health. "Obesity is one of the biggest public health threats facing … Continue Reading
