Oregon Expands Healthcare to All Regardless of Citizenship Status, Sets New State Standard

From Oregon Public Broadcasting, 7/10/23 

Oregon has expanded free health insurance that mirrors Medicaid to all residents who qualify, regardless of their immigration status.

The move took effect July 1. It marks an expansion of a Medicaid-type program for immigrants last year for residents who don’t qualify for the Oregon Health Plan because of their immigration status. The program, Healthier Oregon, covered those 19-24 and 55 and older who met low-income and other qualifications and was funded by a $100 million allocation by the Legislature in 2021. “When it comes to health, we’re all connected,” Dave Baden, interim director of Oregon Health Authority, said in a statement. “Expanded health coverage through the full implementation of Healthier Oregon will keep more people and families healthy, which will reduce health costs and risks for every community.”

Baden said the expansion sets a new standard for other states. It comes amid a debate this spring in some states, including Connecticut, Minnesota and Nevada, about expanding Medicaid to undocumented immigrants, Politico reported. Similar efforts in New York and Maryland failed, however, with Democrats balking about the price tag.  

Summer Mini Tour - World of Hate

Here are the guys from Sisyphean Conscience loaded on the bus, heading to Bend, Richland, WA, Brush Prairie, WA and Medford. They're playing backup on the Northwest portion of World of Hate tour with Bay Area band Defiler and Chicago's Demolisher. Blaine, Taylor, Dustin and Garrett ended up recruiting Austin to play bass.

The Hawthorne, with Periphery

The kids finally played to a decent sized audience, which loved them. /sniff.
Live at The Hawthorne Theater, Portland, Oregon, March 15, 2011
Second song is better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmEwkvuDKLA

University of Oregon Symphony

Elder son played double bass in today's University of Oregon Symphony concert.

Link to the final movement:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRjnxIxR8G4

Before going into the concert, I took some quintessential Eugene/UO campus shots.

Outside the Knight (Phil) Library:

On the lawn outside the Erb Memorial Union. Prior getting started, someone shouted, "Okay, Vampires in the Belfry!"

The Wasteland - Salem, OR 2-1-11

The Wasteland is a small, all ages venue in the warehouse district, along the railroad tracks by the Willamette River in downtown Salem, Oregon. Very small crowd this evening, but they were clearly blown away by Sisyphean Conscience.

Loved the sign they have posted by the front door:

Here's the last tune they played tonight: S.U.B.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSH-7r31hiM

Saga of the Bass Player

Sadly, the first bass player didn't work out. Really nice kid, but he really should be back on guitar playing classic rock. The bass player in our family is at UO music school, and at this point is not interested in playing progressive metal (though he supports little bro all the way). They have a new guy to play bass, but again, he is not primarily a "bass player" so we'll see how this goes. Tomorrow night they'll play at The Waste Land in Salem, Oregon, sans bass while this guy learns the songs.

Dallas, Oregon Grange Hall

Here are videos I took of the Sisyphean Conscience performance on Saturday, January 22, 2011, Dallas Oregon Grange Hall. I love old Grange halls, don't you? Most small towns across Oregon still have usable Grange halls equipped with kitchens and they are inexpensive to rent. The young man putting on this concert provided food for the bands, which was cool because the venue was a bit out of town. I love how these all-ages shows start at 5:00 PM. We were back in Portland well before midnight.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Knowillusions

http://www.youtube.com/user/Knowillusions#p/u/3/h5pFeHugEC4

http://www.youtube.com/user/Knowillusions#p/u/2/tffn8vJnK8o

http://www.youtube.com/user/Knowillusions#p/u/1/kjtHZ2NPVa8