Healthcare Access
Healthcare access for the working middle
Too many people earn too much for public support yet still cannot realistically afford premiums, deductibles, dependent coverage, or usable care. That is not a fringe problem. It is a real access gap.
The affordability gap
The Affordable Care Act expanded coverage through Medicaid and subsidized marketplace plans, but many working people still land in a zone where they make too much for meaningful support and not enough to comfortably afford private coverage.
A model worth studying
MinnesotaCare is a useful example because it created a pathway for people who earn too much for Medicaid but still struggle to afford marketplace coverage. We are advocating for Oregon to build a more workable version of that bridge.
Who this affects
Self-employed workers
People without employer-sponsored coverage who face steep premiums and high deductibles on the individual market.
Workers without usable benefits
People in industries where benefits are limited, missing, or too expensive to use consistently.
Families caught in the middle
Households where coverage exists on paper but premiums, dependent costs, or out-of-pocket exposure still make care unaffordable.
What we’re doing
This should feel like a real access problem affecting real people.
The work here is policy research, public education, coalition building, and long-horizon advocacy. The point is to build a stronger case for a practical Oregon solution.
Healthcare Access FAQ
Who is the working middle?
People who are working or self-employed and still cannot realistically afford premiums, deductibles, or dependent coverage.
Are you enrolling people into a new plan right now?
No. This page describes an advocacy and policy-development effort, not a live insurance product.
How can I support this effort?
You can join the update list, share your experience, and help quantify how the gap affects workers, families, and employers in Southern Oregon.
The Oregon Working Middle Healthcare Playbook
A practical guide for people who make too much for OHP, but still cannot make healthcare affordable.
Download here