Oregon Officials Await Clinton’s OK on Health Care Rationing Plan

With a Friday deadline looming, Gov. Barbara Roberts and other backers of Oregon’s health rationing plan say all signs are pointing to a favorable ruling by the Clinton Administration.

“Oregon is on the brink of being able to offer health care services to thousands of uninsured,” Roberts spokeswoman Gwenn Baldwin said Wednesday.

The New York Times reported in its editions today that the Clinton Administration is expected to approve Oregon’s plan to ration health care to poor people in the state. The Administration had said that it would rule on the plan by Friday.

The Times quoted anonymous officials as saying that Clinton will impose strict conditions on Oregon to try to limit federal costs and to prevent sharp reductions in services for poor people and those with disabilities.

Baldwin refused to comment directly on the newspaper’s report.

“Until we get confirmation, we don’t have an answer yet,” she said. “We’ve worked on this for two years. We’re not going to jump the gun.”

Even if the Administration gives Oregon a green light to proceed, there still is uncertainty over whether the Legislature will come up with the $100 million to pay for the rationing plan.