The Keep Covered newsletter shares the latest information about changes coming for people with Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and other benefits, including services and supports for people with disabilities and older adults, and food benefits.
Background
During the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the federal government provided regulatory flexibilities and temporary benefits. Some of these flexibilities and temporary programs will be ending. Changes include:
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The end of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Emergency Allotment (EA) food benefits. February 2023 is the last month for SNAP EA.
- Ending Pandemic EBT and Summer PEBT for Children. Oregon will issue retroactive Summer PEBT benefits for 2022 in mid-March before the programs end.
- Starting April 1, the renewal process will begin for all current OHP members and continue into mid-2024.
- SNAP temporary exemptions for students in higher education will phase out starting June 2023.
- Resuming work requirements for SNAP food benefit recipients with Able-bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) status on July 1, 2023.
Oregon is planning for how these changes will affect people, with a goal of keeping as many people as possible connected to benefits and covered by a health plan.
On the web
- Visit our partner webpage at Oregon.gov/covid-phe-partners regularly for updates and materials to share information to people who receive benefits.
The most important things partners and providers can do now to help people who receive benefits prepare for the end of the COVID-19 PHE are to:
- Remind individuals and families that they will receive advance notice by mail if their benefits will change;
- Encourage individuals, their authorized representatives and families to keep their contact information current and read mail from the state right away; and
- Share the oregon.gov/OR-benefit-changes web address where individuals and families can watch for announcements.
Press releases – NEW
Mark your calendars for our partner webinar series. All webinars are from 10 to 11 a.m., Pacific Time.
Our next partner webinar is in Spanish on February 23. Register here.
Upcoming webinars:
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English webinars: March 14, April 11 and May 9
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Spanish webinars: March 23, April 20 and May 18
Registration links will be sent in a future Keep Covered newsletter and posted to our partner web page at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PHE/Pages/partners.aspx
To see recordings and materials from our previous webinars, visit our partner web page at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PHE/Pages/partners.aspx.
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