Senator’s virtual “Reimagining Health Care for America” hearing begins at 1:30 pm PT (2:30 pm MT) on Sunday, Aug. 16
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will host a virtual health care field hearing on Sunday, August 16 to hear from rural Oregonians about their concerns and experiences as patients, consumers of long-term care, family caregivers, nurses, doctors and pharmacists.
Wyden’s live online “Reimagining Health Care for America” field hearing will begin at 1:30 pm PT (2:30 pm MT) and can be watched here on YouTube. Oregonians living and working in rural communities can submit comments and questions in advance for consideration here by People’s Town Hall, a town hall series from the founders of Town Hall Project.
Wyden is holding multiple statewide “Reimagining Health Care for America” field hearings during the August congressional work period to take testimony ahead of upcoming massive changes inflicted on Oregonians by Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. He is also inviting patients, consumers of long-term care, family caregivers, nurses, doctors and pharmacists to in-person field hearings during August in Eugene, Salem, Portland and Medford. Additional in-person hearings are planned throughout 2026 in additional Oregon cities.
“My goal throughout all these hearings is to advance a fresh plan to reimagine the American health care system that makes good on the promise that health care is a basic human right,” said Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee. “Essential elements of that fresh health care plan must deliver a home-care guarantee for all Americans to get ahead of the long-term care crisis, keep reining in Big Pharma, hold insurance companies accountable and provide every American with a public Medicare choice for their health care that is affordable and high-quality.”
Wyden said that starting in January 2027, nearly 250,000 Oregonians will be at risk of losing their health insurance, a huge blow that will hurt all Oregonians by making health care even harder to access for everyone.
“The Republicans’ health care scheme in their so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” is importing the worst practices of for-profit health insurance programs into Medicare and Medicaid,” Wyden said. “These destructive health care choices by Trump and congressional Republicans have added up to hospitals, particularly in rural areas, ending maternity care; primary care doctors shuttering their practices; and 3 million Americans now lacking health insurance because premiums have become too expensive without the tax credits Republicans refused to extend.”
“Senator Wyden has long been a national leader in town hall accessibility,” said Nathan Williams of People’s Town Hall. “We know not everyone is able to attend in-person town halls, especially in rural areas. People’s Town Hall is proud to host this important opportunity for rural Oregonians to share their health care concerns and priorities with their senator.”
“Big thanks to People’s Town Hall and to the Rogue Valley Times for providing the space this Sunday for me to pop up my laptop to hear from rural Oregonians while I’m in Medford,” Wyden said.
A web version of this release is here.