In this update:
Help for people losing Oregon Health Plan coverage
Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and other Medicaid programs began renewing all members in April 2023 to see if they are still eligible. Anyone who no longer is eligible receives at least 60 days' warning before their benefits end, so they have time to respond or find other coverage. The first closures happened June 30, 2023. About 8,150 members lost coverage at the end of June. These members were sent a closure notice in April.
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If you are contacted by someone who has lost coverage, here are five things you can advise them to do:
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Review the case summary in their letter to make sure the information used to make the decision was correct. They can contact OHP to submit updated information if needed. The case summary lists the information on file that was used to make that decision. People can call the ONE Customer Service Center at 800-699-9075 (toll-free, all relay calls accepted). If the information on file is correct and they disagree with the decision, they can request a hearing. Learn more about requesting a hearing.
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Explore options through an employer. If anyone in their household is working, they may be eligible for health coverage through an employer. Working people should talk to their boss or Human Resources department to see if they qualify. They will have a special enrollment period to enroll mid-year due to loss of OHP benefits.
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If people have or are eligible for Medicare: For help understanding Medicare options, people also can go to OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp to find an insurance agent or a helper at the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA). They can call SHIBA at 800-722-4134. These people can help with choosing the right Medicare options.
People who need to sign up for Medicare for the first time can contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) at 800-772-1213 to enroll by phone or find a local office. They can also enroll in Medicare online at ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up.
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Don’t assume health coverage is too expensive. Nearly 80 percent of Oregonians qualify for financial help through the Health Insurance Marketplace. People can visit OregonHealthCare.gov/WindowShop to answer a few quick questions and find out how much they can save and how much coverage may cost. They can also call the Marketplace Transition Help Center at 833-699-6850 (toll-free, all relay calls accepted).
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Need free local help figuring any of this out? People can visit OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp to find professional help near them.
New data added to medical renewals dashboard
Medical renewals for 1.5 million people in Oregon began in April 2023. They will continue through March 2024. Medical renewals are required by the federal government as it phases out the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). A Medical Redeterminations Dashboard became available in April 2023.
The dashboard tracks the state’s progress in renewing coverage for medical program members. It also has data by county and demographic. New data recently added to the dashboard includes:
- Renewals by each stage in the redeterminations process
- Renewals by type of medical program
- Reasons medical coverage ended
 The dashboard is required by the Oregon Legislature’s House Bill 4035. It is updated daily.
Winding down the COVID-19 PHE
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 PHE.
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 webinars feature:
- COVID-19 PHE wind-down updates including food benefits and medical renewals
- Presentation: Outreach and supports for people losing medical coverage
- Questions and answers
- New resources for partners
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.
Visit our web page for a variety of resources for helping community members
Visit KeepCoveredPartners.oregon.gov to find a variety of resources in multiple languages you can use to support people in your community through the COVID-19 PHE wind-down.
Available resources include:
- Communications toolkits
- Free Keep Covered campaign materials
- Information about locating food resources in communities
- Medical renewals timelines
- Notice Guides
- Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace resources
- Tools for explaining benefit changes
Email your questions, comments and concerns about the COVID-19 PHE unwinding to feedback@odhsoha.oregon.gov. We will use your feedback to help improve our services.
During the COVID-19 PHE, 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 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.
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