PORTLAND, Or. – Si una persona de bajos ingresos tiene acceso a un teléfono móvil, podrá beneficiarse de muchas maneras. Esa es la opinión que sustenta los planes de CareOregon para ofrecer teléfonos gratuitos a los miembros del Plan de Salud de Oregon (Oregon Health Plan), a través del programa estatal “Lifeline”, o “Cuerda de Salvación”, para obtener auxilio en caso de emergencia en Oregon. Comentan Martin Taylor, director de políticas públicas y relaciones comunitarias; y Tamara Pedrojetti (pe-dro-JETT-i), administradora del programa de relaciones comunitarias, ambos de CareOregon.

Por tal motivo, poner más teléfonos móviles gratis en manos de más oregonianos de bajos recursos es la meta de una nueva asociación. SafeLink Wireless –un proveedor de telefonía celular de emergencia– y CareOregon –organización encargada de vigilar el programa médico de Oregon– se han unido para ofrecer teléfonos móviles sin costo a decenas de miles de personas, con la esperanza de que mantengan un mejor contacto con sus proveedores de cuidados de salud.

Las llamadas para Atención al Público serán gratuitas en los nuevos teléfonos y Tamara Pedrojetti, de CareOregon, agrega que también incluyen mensajes de texto sin costo y 350 minutos mensuales para otras llamadas.

“Realmente veo una mayor interacción social con la familia y las amistades… Es decir, esto es parte del cuidado de la salud y parte de la comunidad, que puedan mantenerse en contacto con sus seres amados. Para mí, eso es realmente importante.”

CareOregon comenzó a lanzar el programa de teléfono gratuito este mes a través de sus organizaciones filiales de atención coordinada “Coordinated Care Organizations” en el condado de Jackson, el área metropolitana de Portland y en la costa noroeste. Las personas que califiquen recibirán por correo una solicitud que deberán llenar si quieren el teléfono, y serán sorteados para confirmar que califican. Habrá un teléfono disponible por cada hogar.

El año próximo, los miembros de CareOregon con teléfonos gratuitos podrán registrarse para recibir sin costo mensajes automatizados de texto con consejos sobre la salud y recordatorios sobre sus medicinas y sus citas. Martin Taylor, de CareOregon y quien funge como enlace entre los miembros del Plan de Salud de Oregon (OHP) y sus proveedores, afirma que hay un montón de razones para que los pacientes estén en contacto:

”Tal vez llamen porque tienen problemas para trabajar con un proveedor, o quieren cambiarlo. Pueden haberse mudado y quieren actualizar su información, o establecerse con un proveedor que les quede cerca.”

El proveedor de servicios telefónicos Safelink Wireless trabaja con el programa federal Lifeline, que pone teléfonos de emergencia a disposición de los hogares que no puedan pagar el servicio. Oregon es uno de los estados que menos usa el servicio Lifeline.

Al incluir a los miembros del Oregon Health Plan, unas 30 mil personas elegibles más podrán tener teléfonos móviles dentro de un año.


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Access to reduced-price medication is a necessity for many rural Missourians with low income.

Rep. Cindy O'Laughlin, R-Shelbina, the Senate Floor Leader, said Big Pharma is trying to confuse legislators with unrelated hot-button topics such as abortion access and illegal immigration in a last-ditch effort to stop the state from joining a program to force drugmakers to sell medicines at a discount.

"Appealing to nuclear topics, which really do not apply in this situation, is a disingenuous way to try to defeat a bill that is actually good for Missouri," O'Laughlin asserted.

O'Laughlin pointed out the program is transparent, and uses the tax money saved to help low-income families deal with chronic conditions such as diabetes.

The drugmakers object to the government forcing them to give significant discounts, arguing hospitals' and for-profit pharmacies' bottom lines, particularly those owned by pharmacy benefits managers, are being exploited. Nationally, 46% of contract pharmacy agreements involve pharmacies linked to the three largest benefits managers.

Rep. Tara Peters, R-Rolla, introduced the 340B contract pharmacy access billand said the lobbying is absurd.

"Federally, 340B program does not allow for abortion drugs," Peters stressed. "Why would any legislation that we're trying to pass in the state allow for that? I mean, the thought of that even being in existence is absolutely ludicrous."

The Missouri Senate passed the bill 27-3 on Monday and it now goes to the House.


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Alabama is running out of time to tackle Medicaid expansion this legislative session.

More than 230 people gathered earlier this month with the group Alabama Arise, urging state lawmakers to prioritize the issue. Their message: Access to health care isn't just a matter of policy, it can be a matter of life and death.

Debbie Smith, Cover Alabama campaign director for Alabama Arise, said as the session winds down, the group will continue to echo the call for increased access to health coverage. She thinks it would not only save lives but revitalize communities across the state.

"Over 80% of our rural hospitals are operating in the red," Smith pointed out. "Not a great stat. About 19 rural hospitals are at immediate risk of closure, and those are the lifeblood of those communities. They're on life support."

Smith emphasized hospitals at financial risk also put their workforce at risk. Those who are against Medicaid expansion believe it is ultimately unaffordable for the state. However, Smith argued it could save the state nearly $400 million over the next six years. According to the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama, those savings would be enough to cover the cost.

The council's study also showed Medicaid expansion would generate nearly $2 billion of economic growth. Beyond economic benefits, Smith pointed to the stark disparities in maternal and infant mortality rates in Alabama.

She stressed Medicaid expansion would do more than provide health care coverage during pregnancy or postpartum, it is about ensuring comprehensive coverage.

"We've been lucky enough to expand Medicaid coverage up to 12 months postpartum but we still need to figure out how to cover people before they even get pregnant," Smith asserted. "It's really important for people to have health coverage so they can address any kind of issues they might have, like if they have diabetes or high blood pressure that might affect their pregnancy in the future."

With limited time left in the legislative session, she noted one option could be Gov. Kay Ivey's executive authority to enact Medicaid expansion. Smith added using the power could be the simplest path forward, backed by the promise of additional funding from the American Rescue Plan.

A Connecticut bill would expand the state's paid sick leave law.

The initial 2011 law requires 40 hours of paid sick leave for workers at employers with 50 businesses or more. The new bill covers all workers regardless of their employer's size.

Janée Woods Weber, executive director of the nonprofit She Leads Justice, said the legislation can benefit workers without access to paid sick leave.

"These are people for whom taking a few hours off when their child has a cold or perhaps they need to take themselves to a doctor's appointment are the kinds of challenges that many of us don't worry about, those of us who do have access to paid sick days," Woods Weber explained.

Small businesses were concerned about how the change could affect them. To address worries, the bill has a three-year implementation cycle giving them time to adapt. It also creates a task force studying the feasibility of providing tax credits to businesses with the smallest workforces. The bill passed the House and awaits a vote in the Senate.

An estimated 11% of workers are eligible for paid sick leave under the current criteria. Though expanding the law has taken over a decade, Woods Weber argued it has always been necessary.

"Nobody should be forced to make what is often times a very difficult and sometimes impossible choice between their livelihood," Woods Weber emphasized. "Getting a paycheck and getting to take paid time off to take care of themselves or a loved one if they get sick."

She added that once the bill is passed, the state can build off it by allowing people to earn more than 40 hours of paid sick time. Woods Weber said the isolation requirements during the pandemic forced anyone who got COVID-19 to use their allotted sick time all at once for isolation.


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