In this episode of Oregon D.O.G.E., Senator Mike McLane and Representative Jeff Helfrich are joined by Dollar For founder Jared Walker and board member Joel David Moore (actor/director known for Avatar and Dodgeball) to take a hard look at Oregon’s charity care legislation—House Bills 3076 and 3320.
Passed to help low-income patients receive free or discounted hospital care, these laws require Oregon hospitals to screen patients before billing and report community benefit spending. But are they being followed? And are they making a real difference?
Jared Walker, whose nonprofit Dollar For has helped erase over $70 million in medical debt, explains how his team built a national tool to automate and advocate for patients’ financial aid—often in place of the hospitals themselves. The conversation reveals:
- How many hospitals avoid proactively screening patients
- The bureaucratic barriers patients face (including faxed forms and hidden policies)
- Why hospitals resist being known as “generous”
- How OHSU saw a jump from 12% to 64% of patients receiving aid after implementing prescreening
- Why Oregon may now be the nation’s strongest charity care model
Key Takeaways
- Oregon’s 2019 and 2023 laws shifted charity care responsibility from patients to hospitals
- Dollar For created a nationwide tool for patients to check eligibility and apply digitally
- Oregon’s charity care law is a rare example of bipartisan, people-first legislation
- Hospitals often drag their feet—and it’s costing patients dearly
- Real reform comes through enforcement, transparency, and access
Conclusion
Oregon is leading the way—but only if lawmakers and nonprofits continue to hold the system accountable. And in times of budget tightening, this is the kind of low-cost, high-impact policy that can truly serve the public.
🎧 Full episode + resources: theoregondoge.com
💻 Learn more or apply for help: dollarfor.org