New OHA report shows impact rising health care costs for Oregonians
PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - A new report from the Oregon Health Authority shows that health care costs are the biggest expense for Oregonians.
The report found that annual cost of insurance premiums alone average about $20,000 per family, and the average cost of health care is more than $7,600 per person. That’s a more than 30 percent increase in health care costs from 2013 to 2019.
For an average person or family, health care makes up over 20 percent of the things they pay for, even more than most pay for housing, utilities and fuel - and double what people pay for food and clothing.
According to the report, increasing health care costs are leading people to:
- Incur significant medical debt
- Use savings to pay bills
- Delay care
- Declare bankruptcy
As Oregonians deal with rising costs in health care, the OHA is launching a new program to help expand access to care, especially for those in need.
OHA is awarding nearly 150 community-based organizations a total of $31 million between now and June 2023. The funds will go toward eliminating health inequities by 2030, with a focus on areas like:
- Kids and teens health
- Tobacco prevention
- Sex education and outreach
- Overdose prevention
To view the full report from OHA, click here.
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