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During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the federal government provided regulatory flexibilities and temporary benefits. Some of these flexibilities and temporary benefits are ending.
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.
Visit our partner web page at Oregon.gov/covid-phe-partners regularly for updates and materials to share information to people who receive benefits.
In this update:
Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) is money for children whose access to adequate and quality food may have been impacted by COVID 19. The benefit is available to all children who were eligible to receive free or reduced-price National School Lunch Program meals during the 2021-22 school year. The benefits are also available to all children under six who received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Summer 2022. This includes all students attending Community Eligible Provision (CEP) schools.
Each eligible child in a single household will get a letter in the mail before receiving this benefit. Approximately 389,000 children are eligible for this benefit. The P-EBT program is done in partnership with the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and the Oregon Department of Education.
You can direct people with questions to the P-EBT call center starting Monday, March 27: 844-ORE-PEBT; 844-673-7328. The P-EBT website also has helpful information in English and Spanish.
The Change Tool explains the SNAP temporary exemptions that are ending for college students by July 2023. Most college students will remain eligible for monthly food benefits. Students who received SNAP during the public health emergency under the temporary criteria will need to meet other criteria to keep their food benefits. The tool helps partners and staff guide affected college students through the changes.
Also available: Change Tools for Emergency Allotments for SNAP – supporting people through the reduction in their food benefits.
Coming soon: Change Tools for OHP renewals and SNAP participants with Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents status.
Preparing for the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency end
Join Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and ODHS for a monthly webinar series for partners. Webinars are from 10 to 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
What to expect:
- Information on how Oregon is preparing for benefit changes
- Communication tools staff can use to engage people who receive OHP and other benefits including services and supports for people with disabilities and older adults, and food benefits.
- Time for questions and feedback
The webinars are hosted in English and Spanish.
Recordings and materials from past webinars are available at oregon.gov/covid-phe-partners.
All participants are welcome. American Sign Language and live captioning will be available. If you have questions about accommodations or need any assistance to participate, please email Jon McDaid at least 48 hours before each webinar.
Marketplace Transition
The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) is hosting a webinar in Spanish to discuss transitions from OHP to Marketplace coverage during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency unwinding process. If you previously registered for this webinar, please register again. Due to technical issues, the team had to change webinar platforms.
Webinar topics will include:
- Notices individuals should expect to receive
- Unwinding special enrollment period (SEP) details
- Transitioning during open enrollment
Spanish webinar: Wednesday, March 29 from 10 to 11 a.m., Pacific Time. Register at https://orhim.info/OHIMTransitionSp.
All participants are welcome. If you have any questions about accommodations or need assistance to participate, please call or email: Amy Coven at amy.coven2@oha.oregon.gov or 503-943-0164 (voice/text). All relay calls are accepted.
Find food resources in your community
The federal Emergency Allotments food benefit program ended in February. In March people participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are seeing a decrease in their monthly food benefits. We continue to encourage households to budget accordingly and reach out to their local resources. Visit needfood.oregon.gov (Spanish) to find food resources in your community.
WIC may be a resource for families seeing a reduction in food benefits
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) may be a resource for families whose SNAP benefits are now reduced. Find out more information about the WIC program and who is eligible.
Toolkit for preparing for the public health emergency end
The toolkit has materials in multiple languages to support partners in answering questions on how benefit recipients can prepare for the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Find this toolkit and other resources on our partner webpage.
Email your questions, comments and concerns about the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency unwinding to feedback@odhsoha.oregon.gov. We will use your feedback to help improve our services.
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