Oregon Measure 44, Prescription Drug Purchasing Program Initiative (2006)
| Oregon Measure 44 | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic Healthcare |
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| Type Initiated state statute |
Origin |
Oregon Measure 44 was on the ballot as an initiated state statute in Oregon on November 7, 2006. It was approved.
A "yes" vote supported expanding the Oregon Prescription Drug Program by removing age and income eligibility requirements, allowing all Oregonians without prescription drug coverage to participate. |
A "no" vote opposed expanding the Oregon Prescription Drug Program by removing age and income eligibility requirements, allowing all Oregonians without prescription drug coverage to participate. |
Election results
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Oregon Measure 44 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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1,049,594 | 77.96% | ||
| No | 296,649 | 22.04% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Measure 44 was as follows:
| “ | ALLOWS ANY OREGON RESIDENT WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE TO PARTICIPATE IN OREGON PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAM RESULT OF "YES" VOTE: "Yes" vote expands eligibility to participate in Oregon Prescription Drug Program to Oregon residents who have no prescription drug coverage (except Medicare), eliminating current restrictions. RESULT OF "NO" VOTE: "No" vote retains current law limiting participation in Oregon Prescription Drug Program to Oregon residents over age 54 who meet income limit, past coverage limitation. SUMMARY: Existing law authorizes the Oregon Prescription Drug Program, which is intended to reduce prescription drug costs and to make prescription drugs available to participants at the lowest possible cost. Existing law authorizes the program's administrator, among other things, to negotiate price discounts, to purchase prescription drugs on behalf of participants, and to reimburse pharmacies. Under current law, Oregon residents over age 54 whose gross annual income does not exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and who have not had private prescription drug benefit coverage for the past 6 months are eligible to participate in the Program. Measure eliminates those restrictions and expands Program eligibility to all Oregon residents who have no prescription drug coverage except Medicare Part D. Provides no funding. Other provisions. ESTIMATE OF FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial effect on state or local government expenditures or revenue. | ” |
Full Text
The full text of this measure is available here.
Path to the ballot
An initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are 21 states that allow citizens to initiate state statutes, including 14 that provide for direct initiatives and nine (9) that provide for indirect initiatives (two provide for both). An indirect initiated state statute goes to the legislature after a successful signature drive. The legislatures in these states have the option of approving the initiative itself, rather than the initiative appearing on the ballot.
In Oregon, the number of signatures required for an initiated state statute is equal to 6% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.
See also
External links
Footnotes
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State of Oregon Salem (capital) |
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