Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Senate Finance Committee is set to vote Tuesday on federal health care legislation.

Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is on the committee.  He says he hasn't decided whether to vote "aye".

Ron Wyden: “A bill will pass this year. I just want to make sure it's the best possible bill which I would define as particularly holding insurance companies accountable and you do that by holding these premiums down. The reason Oregonians don't see their take-home pay going up is because these escalating medical costs just gobble up their paychecks.”

Senator Wyden says with Oregon's 11.5 percent unemployment rate, health care legislation is critical to the state's economic well-being.

He says he's skeptical of a recently released study by the insurance industry that says premiums will go up under proposed health care legislation.