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News Release | OSPIRG | Budget, Tax

Department of Justice Orders Release of Hidden Tax Subsidy Data, Clarifies Public Has Right to Know How Subsidy Dollars are Spent

Yesterday, the Oregon Department of Justice ordered a state agency to release data about a major tax subsidy program estimated to cost Oregon taxpayers $322 million over the next two years, saying that there is a “strong public interest” in disclosing the information.

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Blog Post | Financial Reform

Senators Hold CFPB Director Hostage, Roil Markets | Ed Mierzwinski

On Friday, most Senate Republicans again sent the President a letter saying they would not confirm Richard Cordray to a full term as CFPB director unless the agency's powers and independence were first gutted. Their intransigence contributes to market uncertainty that ignores at least three things: The CFPB is here to stay; the public wants the CFPB; and, banks lose to payday lenders if the director is not confirmed.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Tax

The Hidden Cost of Offshore Tax Havens

When U.S. corporations and wealthy individuals use offshore tax havens to avoid paying taxes, it is an abuse of our tax system. This new report reveals that the State of Oregon lost an estimated $506 million due to offshore tax dodging in 2012.

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News Release | OSPIRG Foundation | Tax

Offshore Tax Dodging Blows a $506 million Hole in Oregon Budget

With Oregon facing tough budget choices, OSPIRG Foundation, joined by Main Street Alliance, released a new study revealing that the State of Oregon lost an estimated $506 million due to offshore tax dodging in 2012. Many of America’s wealthiest individuals and largest corporations use tax loopholes to shift profits made in America to offshore tax havens, where they pay little to no taxes.

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Blog Post

Portlanders Can't Follow the Money | Celeste Meiffren

Portland got a D- for transparency in OSPIRG Foundation's latest report. So, what now?

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Media Hit | Health Care

What's Next on Health Care Costs?

Now that the election is over, talk has turned to the need to work together and get results for America. It's a tall order, and on the polarized issue of health care, it may seem at first like an impossible task. But I am hopeful that we can make significant progress together.

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News Release | OSPIRG | Democracy

Distorted Democracy: Big Money and Dark Money in the 2012 Elections

A new analysis of pre-election data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and other sources by OSPIRG and Demos shows that outside spending in the first presidential election since Citizens United is living up to its hype: new waves of “outside spending” have been fueled by dark money and unlimited fundraising from a small number of wealthy donors.

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News Release | OSPIRG | Consumer Protection

Higher Bank Fees Now the Norm for Consumers

New report confirms what consumers already know – bank fees are increasing and free checking accounts are harder to find.

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News Release | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Regence rate hike scaled back

State officials have decided to trim Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon’s proposal to raise rates for more than 52,000 Oregonians with individual health insurance plans. Instead of the 9.6% rate hike proposed, the Oregon Insurance Division approved an 8.9% average increase, with some consumers seeing increases as high as 15.6%. Regence does not appear to have resolved many of the problems identified in OSPIRG Foundation's analysis of their proposal. In addition, elements of the decision were based on information that was not made available to the public.

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News Release | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Regence Rate Hike Not Justified

Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon’s proposal to raise rates for Oregonians with individual health insurance plans does not measure up, according to a new OSPIRG Foundation analysis.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Food

Apples to Twinkies 2012

In this report, we find that in 2011, over $1.28 billion in taxpayer subsidies went to junk food ingredients, bringing the total to a staggering $18.2 billion since 1995. To put that figure in perspective, $18.2 billion is enough to buy 2.9 billion Twinkies every year - 21 for every single American taxpayer. 

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Comments on Providence Health Plans Proposal to Increase Individual Health Insurance Rates

More than 12,000 Oregonians with individual health insurance plans will see rate hikes of 15.7% on average, and as high as 18.6%, if the premium rate hike proposed by Providence Health Plans goes forward. OSPIRG Foundation's analysis raises questions about the insurer's justification for the rate increase.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Comments on Regence BlueCross BlueShield's Proposal to Increase Individual Health Insurance Rates

More than 52,000 Oregonians with individual health insurance plans will see rate hikes of 9.6% on average, and as high as 16.4%, if the premium rate hike proposed by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon goes forward.

OSPIRG Foundation's analysis finds problems and information gaps in the insurer's filing.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

Raising the Bar: Strategies to contain cost and improve quality in Oregon’s health insurance exchange

Oregon’s new health insurance exchange has the potential to rein in the rising cost of health insurance and the underlying cost of care, while improving quality and giving consumers better choices. With the purchasing power of hundreds of thousands of Oregonians behind it, the exchange has the power to build better value for consumers, but it can only live up to its promise if it works from the beginning to raise the bar for health insurance in Oregon.

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Report | OSPIRG Foundation | Health Care

At Stake: What's on the Line for Health Care Consumers in the Pending Supreme Court Case

The outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have far reaching impacts on consumers. The law is already working to improve the quality of care and reduce costs, with millions of Americans experiencing concrete improvements in their coverage. In this issue brief, we highlight the number of people the law has helped so far and the costs already saved to illustrate what’s at stake for Oregon consumers in the pending Supreme Court case.

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Blog Post | Health Care

Regence alters course in response to consumer outcry | Jesse Ellis O'Brien

It's a difficult and confusing time to be a Regence customer. After announcing drastic network cutbacks last month, Regence altered course today in the wake of widespread criticism. But Regence customers can still expect to be paying more and getting less.

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Blog Post | Health Care

What should your health plan cover?—Oregon wants to hear from YOU! | Jesse Ellis O'Brien

We all expect our health insurance to cover our basic health needs, but the significant differences in coverage between plans can be confusing and disempowering for consumers. What services should all health insurance in Oregon cover? Governor Kitzhaber recently convened a panel to answer just this question--and they want to hear from you!

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

You can pick your friends, and even your bank, but you're stuck with the reckless credit bureaus | Ed Mierzwinski

You can pick your friends and even your bank but you are stuck with the credit bureaus.  Over the last twenty years the power of the big credit bureaus to act as gatekeepers to consumer success in life has grown immensely. Credit reports and credit scores generated from them are used to decide whether consumers can get a job, get car insurance, qualify to open a bank account, rent an apartment, use a debit card and, of course, whether they can obtain and how much they will pay for credit. The Columbus (OH) Dispatch has an excellent four-part series explaining that the credit bureaus make mistakes, lots of them, and ruin peoples' lives. There is hope, however, since the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has new tools to rein in the bureaus.

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Blog Post | Health Care

Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Debates Strategies to Control Costs, Improve Quality | Jesse Ellis O'Brien

The future of health insurance in Oregon is at stake this summer.  The state is in the middle of an ambitious effort to remake health care that holds the promise of creating a better deal for consumers—if it’s done right.

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Blog Post | Health Care

CO-OP Health Insurance Promises Greater Consumer Control | David Rosenfeld

What if your health insurance company answered to you?  What if it could be held accountable for its policies and fees through member elections? 

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Tools & Resources

  • FIGHTING UNJUSTIFIED PREMIUM HIKES
    It’s time for health insurers to get serious about lowering the cost of care instead of raising deductibles and hiking premiums.
    JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN
  • Stop Tax Dodgers
    Corporate tax avoidance cost taxpayers $100 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • YOUR TAX DOLLARS BECOME CORN SYRUP
    At a time when one-in-three kids is overweight or obese, over a billion taxpayer dollars go to high-fructose corn syrup and junk food ingredients.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • Reclaim Democracy
    The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision ushered in an era of unprecedented spending by big money in our elections, but we're working to return our democracy back to the principle of "one person, one vote."
    Learn more
    Take Action

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