Measure 111 passes, giving Oregonians a constitutional right to access affordable health care

By Amelia Templeton (OPB)
Nov. 15, 2022 4:09 p.m.

Oregon is the first state in the nation to constitutionally guarantee access to care.
Voters have passed a measure amending the Oregon Constitution to create a new fundamental right for everyone living here: access to affordable health care.

For much of last week, the outcome was too close to call, but as more ballots were counted, the yes votes took a narrow lead, passing 50.7% to 49.3% in unofficial returns.

Measure 111 makes Oregon the first state in the nation with a constitutional obligation to provide access to affordable health care to all its residents, similar to the constitutional guarantee of a public K-12 education.

The measure is a win for Democrats in the Legislature, who referred it to the voters over opposition from their Republican colleagues.

The language of the measure states: “It is the obligation of the state to ensure that every resident of Oregon has access to cost-effective, clinically appropriate and affordable health care as a fundamental right.”

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