A bill to be signed today in Portland by Gov. Ted Kulongoski is designed to guarantee medical, dental, vision and mental health care to 80,000 uninsured children in Oregon, reports Bill Graves of The Oregonian. Oregon is one of 12 states to take this step. Under the new law, a 1 percent tax will be placed on hospitals and most insurers to cover the previously uninsured children. The new law led to the creation of the Office of Healthy Kids, and about 100 new workers to handle the influx of new children. The extended coverage is intended for those who can’t afford the additional cost of insuring their children, or who don’t qualify for the Oregon Health Plan.
Oregon extends full health care to all children
