Our impact in the Northwest

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Public policy

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Since 1945, Kaiser Permanente has delivered care and coverage in the Pacific Northwest.

Currently, we care for 612,725 medical and 285,563 dental members in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Our long-standing presence and membership base has established us as one of the largest private employers in the region.

Key issues

People in our communities are experiencing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and related conditions. At Kaiser Permanente, we believe the mind can’t be treated separately from the body. So, we consider mental health in our total health approach.

We support mental health policies that:

Reinvent outdated models of care
Support and rebuild a stressed and strained workforce
Invest in preventive services and evidence-based care innovations

We’re concerned about the burden high drug prices impose on our members and society.

We provide our members with safe, high-quality medications at a strong value for their dollar. We do this by:

Prescribing based on evidence
Negotiating drug prices with manufacturers
Using generics and biosimilars when available
Tracking safety and outcomes

As a health plan, provider, and pharmacy in one, we have a unique perspective on the prescription drug marketplace. Our experience informs an array of policy positions designed to make prescription drugs more effective, safer, and more affordable.

By 2034, the country expects a shortfall of up to 124,000 physicians. The United States needs over 200,000 new nurses annually through 2031 to meet demand. Additionally, by 2026, the country will need 3.2 million more professionals in other health care roles.

The high cost and time commitment required for a health care education complicates the workforce shortage, as does the recruitment of health care educators due to low salaries compared to workforce wages.

In response to this challenge, we believe:

Policymakers at the state and federal levels should expand funding for training programs, tuition assistance, and loan forgiveness programs.

Congress has a critical role to play in helping grow and diversify the workforce — specifically around increasing federal funding for clinical training programs and physician residency slots.

Tobacco is a leading cause of preventable death and disease in Oregon and Washington state. Every year, residents of both states pay over $4.3 billion for smoking-related health care costs.

Reducing tobacco use is critical to improving the health of our communities. This is why we advocate for policies that prevent people from starting to use tobacco products and help people who are already addicted quit.

Some of our work to reduce tobacco use in the Pacific Northwest includes:

Supporting increased tobacco taxes — Taxing electronic cigarettes and tobacco products is a proven approach to reducing smoking and vaping. Taxing slows the rate of new users, which saves lives and reduces costs to the health care system.

In 2020, Kaiser Permanente strongly supported Oregon Measure 108, which proposed a tobacco tax increase.

The measure passed, increasing taxes on cigarettes and cigars, and creating a new tax on electronic cigarettes. Most of the additional tax revenues are supporting the Oregon Health Authority in paying for the treatment of sick people, especially people with mental illnesses.
Working to ban the sale of flavored tobacco — Flavors make tobacco products seem less harsh and often make them appeal to young people. We continue to support removing all flavored tobacco products from the market, including products used with electronic cigarettes.

We’re a leading sponsor of the Flavors Hook Oregon Kids coalition. The coalition is working to end the sale of flavored tobacco in Oregon.

As a result of our and the coalition’s ongoing advocacy, the 2 largest counties in Oregon have passed ordinances ending the sale of flavored tobacco. We are striving to protect those wins and introduce more bans across the state.

Our impact

Kaiser Permanente’s presence throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington has a positive impact on communities.

Through our care, hospitals, medical and dental buildings, and community investments, we are a major contributor to the Pacific Northwest economy. Our contributions include:

Investing just over $136 million in charitable and community health initiatives in 2023. These investments focused on several key areas including access to care, stronger cities, community engagement, volunteerism, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, housing, mental health, nutrition security, oral health, public health, racial equity, subsidized care and coverage, social health, and healthy schools.
Operating 2 hospitals, 52 medical offices, and 21 dental offices
Employing 1,368 physicians, 140 dentists, and 11,907 employees (of which 10,339 are union members) in the Northwest

Our care

Kaiser Permanente’s model combines care and coverage. Our approach allows us to provide coordinated care that supports total health.

Our model ensures our members receive high-quality care, leading to better outcomes. This is why we are among the highest-ranked health plans in the state.

Highest rated health plans

Our commercial and Medicare health plans are rated highest or tied for highest in Oregon and Washington, according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s 2025 ratings.

Best for customer satisfaction

We were rated the nation’s Best Health Insurance Company of 2024 for customer satisfaction by Insure.com.

Top heart program

Our Sunnyside Medical Center in Sunnyside, Oregon, earned the highest quality rating for heart surgery from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Care excellence

All our primary care medical offices have earned top-level tier 4 certification from the Oregon Health Authority. This means we meet the highest standards for providing personalized, coordinated, accessible care to our patients.

Best hospital maternity care

Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside and Westside medical centers were named a Best Hospital for Maternity Care by U.S. News and World Report for 2024 based on quality measures such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, early elective delivery rates, birthing-friendly practices, and transparency on racial and ethnic disparities.

Strengthening the Pacific Northwest together

We encourage all policymakers to join us in shaping a healthier future for Oregon and Washington.

At Kaiser Permanente, our dedicated care, comprehensive services, and community partnerships are designed to empower our members and strengthen communities.

Together, we can achieve lasting health and wellness across the state.