The Oregon Health Plan

To the Editor: Bodenheimer's portrait of Oregon's Medicaid rationing scheme (Aug. 28 and Sept. 4 issues) 1 uses dubious data to argue that the program has reduced the number of uninsured Oregonians and too blithely dismisses matters of ethical concern. The article cites Census Bureau data showing a fall in the proportion of the population that is uninsured from 14 percent to 12 percent between 1991 and 1995. The Oregon Health Plan did not begin operation until February 1, 1994. According to Census Bureau figures, 2 Oregon's uninsurance rates for 1994, 1995, and 1996 were 13.1 percent, 12.5 percent, and 15.3 percent . . .