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:
During the COVID-19 pandemic people were allowed to stay on the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). But now, with the COVID-19 public health emergency ending, people need to renew their medical benefits.
In April, Oregon began processing renewals for more than 1.5 million individuals who receive medical benefits.
The goal is to keep people covered. Oregon decided to spread renewals out over 10 months, from April 2023 to January 2024. The last batch of renewals will be due April 30, 2024, with benefits closing June 30, 2024, for people who are ineligible or did not respond to requests from the state.
So, how are the medical renewals going in Oregon?
The federal government is allowing 11 percent of OHP members to be renewed each month. The public can track our overall progress on medical renewals through dashboards available on our webpage.
The first Oregon medical renewal monthly summary for April shows this progress:
- 133,232 individuals, or 75,436 cases have had their OHP renewed.
- 46,894 individuals, or 29,072 cases needed to provide more information to complete the process.
- 13,208 were deemed active renewal cases, meaning the cases required individuals to review, sign and send back their renewal packet.
- 8,384 cases were ineligible. When people are ineligible, they are referred to the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace for other options for health care coverage.
Learn more about medical renewals by watching the May 9, 2023 webinar recording.
See how many people are receiving Medicaid by county.
How to renew your Oregon Health Plan medical coverage.
How to sign up for the Oregon Health Plan.
Marketplace Transition Project dashboard
This dashboard captures the work the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace Transition Project is doing to do direct outreach and provide support for people determined no longer eligible for Oregon Health Plan (OHP) benefits. On this dashboard you can see data about the number of individuals referred to the Marketplace, letters that have been sent including by language, and call center data. See the dashboard at https://orhim.info/transition-dashboard.
For employers:
The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace has put together resources for employers to assist their employees in understanding what options they have if they are losing OHP benefits. These resources are at: https://orhim.info/transition-employers. There is information about small business coverage, frequently asked questions, and materials for employer outreach to employees.
Health Insurance Marketplace hosts June webinars
People no longer enrolled in the OHP will need to enroll in other health insurance coverage. The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) offers health coverage through its federal partner, HealthCare.gov. Health coverage available through the Marketplace are private insurance plans.
The Marketplace is hosting a round of live webinars in both English and Spanish. These webinars will discuss transitions from the Oregon Health Plan to Marketplace coverage during the unwinding process. Topics will include:
- Notices individuals should expect to receive
- Unwinding special enrollment period (SEP) details
- Transitioning during open enrollment
Plan to attend these webinars:
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English: June 8 from 10 to 11 a.m.
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Spanish: June 15 from 10 to 11 a.m.
State lifts COVID-19 response measures as federal emergency ends May 11.
Lifting of COVID-19 vaccine requirement for education, health care workers among flurry of changes taking effect in coming weeks.
Last week, state health officials lifted some of the measures that helped protect people from COVID-19. Oregon Health Authority. Check out the media availability held Wednesday, May 10 that discusses these changes.
The changes affect a wide range of programs and services. A summary of these changes is posted on the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) website.
Eligibility Operations Dashboards
Two dashboards are available on benefits.oregon.gov. The dashboards display data on medical renewals processing and the experience for people calling the ONE Customer Service Center to apply for or ask for help with medical, food, cash and child care benefits.
Food resources
People participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP) saw a decrease in their monthly food benefits when the federal Emergency Allotments ended.
Marketplace Transition Project Information Sheet
People no longer enrolled in the OHP will need to enroll in other health insurance coverage. The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) offers health coverage through its federal partner, HealthCare.gov. Health coverage available through the Marketplace are private insurance plans. The information sheet in English and Spanish offers guidance and resources for finding health insurance plans.
Medical renewal timeline
Oregon is reviewing income eligibility for approximately 1.5 million OHP and Medicare Savings Program (MSP) members. The state is gathering updated information to determine whether a member remains eligible for coverage for OHP and other Medicaid-funded services and supports. See the interactive Medical Renewals Experience Timeline for key dates, activities and processes. For more information, please read the Oregon Health Authority March 31, 2023, news release.
Notices Guides
Notices Guides outline the general sections and content of different types of notices. These guides can be used to help people understand what to expect and how to navigate the medical renewal process. Six guides are available in English and Spanish for the most common notices in the medical renewal process.
Pandemic EBT food benefit cards for children
By May 31 each child who is eligible for Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits will receive a P-EBT card in the mail. The card will have a one-time food benefit of $391 on it.
You can direct constituents with questions to the P-EBT call center. The P-EBT call center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Dial 844-ORE-PEBT; 844-673-7328. The P-EBT website also has helpful information in English and Spanish.
SNAP time limit notifications in 14 counties
Time limit notices have been mailed to about 40,000 people in 14 counties who are participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and have Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) status.
Oregon will begin to apply SNAP time limits starting July 1 to people who are 18 through 49 years old and do not have children under 18 in their SNAP filing group. Notices are going to people with ABAWD status in these counties: Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Deschutes, Hood River, Jackson, Lane, Linn, Malheur, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington and Yamhill. Learn more about the SNAP time limits on the ABAWD webpage.
If constituents contact you regarding SNAP time limits, please refer them to the ABAWD team. Call 1-833-947-1694 or email: SNAP.ABAWDTeam@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
Tools for explaining benefit changes
PHE Unwinding Change Tools serve as guides that you can use to educate people about medical renewals and changes to food benefits.
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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