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April 20, 2022
Contact: Robb Cowie, 503-421-7684, robb.cowie@dhsoha.state.or.us
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is seeking people to serve on a year-long workgroup to advise on the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) renewal process. OHA wants to make sure as many people as possible keep or improve coverage, especially people who have been disproportionately affected by lack of access to quality health care. Information on the workgroup including how to apply to participate can be found below.
During the public health emergency (COVID-19 epidemic), the federal government adopted a national policy of continuous enrollment of people in Medicaid (Called OHP in Oregon). Congress also allowed people to self-attest to eligibility criteria to make it easier for them to enroll in Medicaid. Due in part to these changes, Oregon experienced an increase in the number of people enrolled in assistance programs. Health insurance coverage rose, with a record 95.4% of people in Oregon reporting coverage in 2021. Oregon also experienced a reduction in inequities in health care coverage in 2021, with the rate of uninsurance for Black or African American people shifting to 5 percent from 8.2 percent. The policy shifts have also produced a reduction in the number of people who leave OHP and then reenroll a short time later. Oregon is committed to taking action to ensure that these gains do not end with the end of the public health emergency, when many of these policies expire.
Passed during the 2022 Legislative Session, HB 4035 directs the state to convene a Community and Partner Workgroup (CPWG) to advise the state on the developing outreach and enrollment assistance and communication strategies to assist OHP members in navigating the renewal process or transitioning to other health coverage. The CPWG will also provide recommendations on strategies to assist OHA in achieving its overall goal to maximize continuity of insurance coverage for as many people in Oregon as possible and reduce health inequities.
Workgroup scope:
The CPWG will make recommendations to OHA in its eligibility renewal process. In particular, the CPWG will advise OHA on:
- Strategies for obtaining and updating contact information for medical assistance program enrollees.
- Strategies for outreach and communication with enrollees in the medical assistance programs, health care providers, community partners and other organizations regarding the renewal process and availability of navigator assistance.
- Strategies to maximize awareness and use of navigation assistance for enrollees.
- Other strategies for conducting medical assistance program renewals to minimize loss of enrollees’ medical assistance coverage.
- Strategies to maximize the use of community-based organizations and other organizations that contract with OHA to provide navigational assistance.
Additionally, OHA is required to consult with the CPWG and seek recommendations in several areas outlined below:
- Conducting ex parte, automatic, or active eligibility renewals.
- Streamlining the process for requesting additional information from medical assistance program enrollees.
- Changing the post-eligibility verification process to allow continuous enrollment while eligibility is verified.
- Extending deadlines of up to 90 days for medical assistance program enrollees to respond to requests from OHA to verify eligibility factors.
- Increasing the use of application assisters; and
- Phasing in renewals by population.
Workgroup composition:
The CPWG will be a 10- to 14-member workgroup with representation from the following sectors:
- 4 community partners
- Up to 4 current OHP members* or individuals who have had OHP in the last year and have transitioned to other health coverage Marketplace, or who have lost health insurance coverage
- Up to 3 representatives of affected health systems with a focus on representation from across the state
- 1 representative of organized labor
- 1 representative from the Medicaid Advisory Committee (appointed)
- 1 representative from the Health Insurance exchange Advisory Committee (appointed)
Eligible community and medical assistance program members will be compensated for their time. This is in accordance with ORS 292.495.
*For the purposes of this workgroup, OHP members can include those directly covered by OHP or a parent or legal guardian of someone on OHP.
Timeline and Commitment:
The CPWG is anticipated to launch May 2022 and extend through April 2023. The CPWG will meet for 2.5 hours twice a month in May – July 2022 and then monthly for the remainder of the time. It is anticipated that members will need to spend an additional 2-4 hours between meetings on workgroup-related activities and reading.
How to apply:
People interested in being on the Community and Partner Workgroup (CPWG) can apply by:
Applications are accepted until May 2, 2022.
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Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:
- CART (live captions)
- Sign language and spoken language interpreters
- Written materials in other languages
- Braille
- Large print
- Audio and other formats
If you need help or have questions, please contact Brian Toups at 503-385-6542, or
brian.m.toups@dhsoha.state.or.us at least 48 hours before the meeting. OHA will make every effort to provide services for requests made closer to the meeting.
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