Oregon Public Broadcasting

Advocates for expanded health care access staged rallies in a hundred cities across the country Tuesday, including Portland. April Baer reports.

Supporters of single-payer systems, and a public option plan took their protest straight to the doorstep of the largest health insurer in the state Tuesday, Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oregon.

Protest speaker Tom Leedham, a Teamster with Jobs with Justice, inspired the crowd to cheers, challenging the notion that a health care bill can't pass.

Tom Leedham  "To our elected officials: don't tell us the votes aren't there. Tell us how we can help you get the votes."

Other rallygoers targeted Senator Ron Wyden. He differs with this group on financing issues.

Unions took to the airwaves this spring, to fight him on health care funding.

The protestors warned that if Wyden doesn't represent their wishes, he can't count on their votes next year.

The group also accused insurers of holding up the political process. Regence public policy director Jason Daughn says there's no truth to that claim.

Jason Daughn   "There are a lot of pieces about the current system that we know and understand don't work well for anyone, including health insurers."

Regence is part of the industry group that agreed to work with President Obama on cost containment earlier this year, as part of the health care changes under discussion.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Senator Wyden has not been idle. He and other members of the Senate Finance Committee have begun making changes to the bill that would finance health care changes.

Committee Chair Max Baucus has pre-approved some of Wyden's amendments, adding provisions for health care portability, and creating standards that would bring some private health plans in line with the kind of coverage members of Congress enjoy.   

He's still selling other committee members on a Free Choice amendment, which would let people covered by their employers shop for better deals in an insurance exchange.

Ron Wyden "Real reform, colleagues, is saying you can keep what you have, but if you don't like what you have, you can get something better."

A vote on the Free Choice amendment may come up later this week.