OHA Doles Out Community Health Funding as New Report Shows Health Care Costs Rising

(Salem, OR) -- A new report from the Oregon Health Authority shows health care costs account for about 23% of family budgets in Oregon. Personal spending for health care rose 34% from 2013 through 2019. It's causing 10% of Oregon families to use their entire savings for health care. The state has a target to keep health care cost increases to 3.4% a year.

The numbers come at a time the OHA is giving $31 million to 147 community-based organizations to improve public health equity. They focus on things like adolescent health, tobacco prevention, communicable disease prevention, and emergency preparedness.