CareOregon abandons deal with Providence amid deep concerns over religious restrictions on healthcare

Following mounting pressure from lawmakers and leading advocates in Oregon — including ACLU of Oregon, Cascade AIDS Project and Prism Health, Compassion & Choices, Forward Together, NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon and SEIU Local 49 — CareOregon shared that they will not continue to pursue an affiliation with Providence Health Plans. 

“No Oregonian should be judged or shamed for their personal health care needs based on gender or sexual orientation. It’s time systems like Providence are held accountable for denying women, the LGBTQ+ community, and persons at the end of their lives the care that patients deserve.” — Felisa Hagins, Political Director for SEIU Local 49

The proposed deal was originally announced on August 20, 2019, sparking criticism from advocates over fears that an affiliation with Providence would place religious views over patient health, creating restrictions or delays in care for Medicaid patients.

For months, advocates pressured Providence and CareOregon to prove that under the affiliation, access to healthcare with no additional barriers would be guaranteed, including end-of-life care and the full range of quality, affirming medical services for women, transgender and gender-nonconforming people. After failing to provide evidence that Medicaid patients would be protected from Providence’s religious refusals, advocates called on CareOregon to reject the affiliation.

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