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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 KeepCoveredPartners.oregon.gov regularly for updates and materials to share information to people who receive benefits.
In this update:
Medical renewals data dashboard expanded
When Oregon began redetermining eligibility for all Medicaid members in April 2023, a new data dashboard was created. The dashboard has information about people who are Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members or receive other Medicaid benefits and are having their eligibility redetermined. The dashboard has been expanded to include demographic and county-level data.
The dashboard now includes:
- Progress in completing medical renewals by the number of individuals and cases.
- Renewals by stage: Not started, initiated and completed.
- Demographic information including ethnicity, disability status, gender identity, housing status, race and written language preference.
- Data by county.
The dashboard is required by the Oregon State Legislature’s House Bill 4035. It is updated daily. More data about medical renewal outcomes and workload impacts will be added to the dashboard in phases this year.
Medical renewals for 1.5 million people in Oregon will continue through March 2024. Medical renewals are required by the federal government as it phases out the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). During the COVID-19 PHE, states had regulatory flexibilities and funding to provide people with continuous medical program coverage, even if they no longer met the normal requirements. These flexibilities and funding have ended.
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Your newsletter is changing
The Keep Covered newsletter is changing. The newsletter will now be published twice a month instead of weekly. You will receive it on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Your next newsletter will arrive on June 20. Other changes are coming to make it a better tool for keeping you informed. Please share your needs and ideas by emailing us at feedback@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
Winding down the COVID-19 Emergency
Join the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) for webinars about how the two agencies are working together to wind down the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
Webinars are held in English and Spanish from 10 to 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
- English webinars: July 11, September 12 and November 14.
- Spanish webinars: July 20, September 21 and November 16.
July’s webinars feature:
- COVID-19 PHE Wind-down updates including food benefits and medical renewals
- Presentation: Outreach and supports for people losing medical coverage
- Questions & Answers
- New resources for partners
Recordings and materials from all past webinars are available at KeepCoveredPartners.oregon.gov.
American Sign Language and live captioning will be available. If you have questions about accommodations or need assistance to participate, please call (503) 945-5488 or email feedback@odhsoha.oregon.gov at least two business days before the webinar. We accept all relay calls.
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 in March 2023. Need Food (English, Spanish) connects people with food resources in their communities.
Free Keep Covered campaign materials
Keep Covered is a campaign recently launched to support people with Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and other Medicaid during redeterminations. Partners can order free materials at KeepCoveredPartners.oregon.gov to be shipped directly to them.
Available now online, in English and Spanish:
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Core materials: Poster, table tent, flyer, fact sheet to download as-is or customize, or order free printed copies, shipped to you. (English and Spanish up now)
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FAQ: clear answers to the most common member questions. Print or order. (English up now; Spanish coming June 20)
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Toolkit with talking points for members; customizable flyer; content for web, email and text; phone scripts; and more. (English up now; Spanish coming June 20)
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Artwork to make a pop-up banner for your summer events. Available in English; additional languages available upon request to feedback@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
Marketplace Resources
People no longer enrolled in the OHP will need to enroll in other health insurance coverage. The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace offers health coverage through its federal partner, HealthCare.gov. Health coverage available through the Marketplace are private insurance plans. Use these resources to learn more:
- The information sheet in English and Spanish offers guidance and resources for finding health insurance plans.
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This dashboard captures the work Marketplace is doing to help people transition from OHP to the Marketplace.
- The Marketplace resources for employers.
Medical renewals 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.
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 people 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. Four Change Tools are available.
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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