In this update:
More Pandemic EBT food benefits for children coming soon
Oregon is approved to issue Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) for Summer 2023 and more food benefits for children will be coming soon.
Please share this information with families you serve and let them know they should hold onto their existing P-EBT card, if they have one. Replacement cards can be requested by calling the P-EBT Customer Service Center at (844) ORE-PEBT or (844) 673-7328, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PST).
The date of benefit issuance is still being determined and will be shared as soon as possible.
Families with questions about their child’s eligibility should visit PEBT.Oregon.Gov or reach out to the P-EBT Customer Service Center. These are the only two sources of accurate and trusted information for the public. Information provided on private websites, such as "FoodStampsNow" have inaccurate or outdated information. They are not an official source of state government information.
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ONE Customer Service Center software upgrade this weekend
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) ONE Customer Service Center is getting a phone software upgrade this weekend, starting Friday, Aug. 18. The ONE Customer Service Center is closed on weekends and the transition will take place outside of regular operating hours. It will reopen at its normal start time at 7 a.m. (PST) on Monday, Aug. 21.
ODHS welcomes the upgrade, but the shift may result in longer wait times for people applying for medical, food, cash and child care. While our employees who determine eligibility get used to the new system, people can still get our services in many ways including:
Please visit benefits.oregon.gov for more information about benefits and how to contact us.
The phone upgrade is part of a statewide call center transition to a new vendor that the Oregon Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has contracted with. This first phase of the upgrade only impacts the ODHS ONE Customer Service Center. Local ODHS offices are scheduled to move to the upgraded phone system in a future phase and will not be affected by the transition this weekend. Features such as voice signature, language line access and virtual hold remains available throughout the process.
Oregon Health Plan (OHP) renewals: Free communication help or funding
KeepCoveredPartners.Oregon.gov has a large set of free materials - in 14 languages - to remind Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members and other Medicaid recipients to keep their address updated and reply to renewal letters. Please download, customize or order free printed copies.
If you need something else to support your communications, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and its partner Metropolitan Group can provide free help or funds! This could include:
- Changes to materials so they work best for your audiences and the ways you reach people. (For example, people have asked for event banners, back-to-school flyers and wallet cards, which we are making.)
- Help to identify the best ways to share information, and help with the ideas that come up. (For example, we are meeting with groups that serve people experiencing houselessness to brainstorm what’s needed and make it happen.)
- Materials to use with the media - ads, articles, news releases, etc.
- Help to make the most of your social media, and funds to “boost” your posts.
- Funds for your team to do a communication project to share information.
- More, as needed!
What else do you need to get renewal information out there? Request free help or funding in either of these ways. Our communication partner, Metropolitan Group, will respond quickly.
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Winding down the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE)
Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) welcome you to join a webinar series about how the two agencies are working together to wind down the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Each webinar also features resources for partners.
Webinars are held in English and Spanish from 10 to 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
- English webinars: September 12 and November 14.
- Spanish webinars: September 21 and November 16.
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.
To catch-up on past webinars, visit KeepCoveredPartners.oregon.gov where you will find recordings and materials from past webinars. The latest webinars in July featured updates on food benefits and medical renewals, and outreach and supports for people losing medical coverage.
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
Data dashboards
Data dashboards are available to track Oregon’s progress in renewing coverage for medical program members. The Medical Redeterminations and ONE Customer Service Center dashboards are updated daily.
The Marketplace Transition Project has a dashboard which reports data on the outreach and call center work being done as part of the Project. The Marketplace Transition Help Center is helping people understand health coverage options if they are losing Oregon Health Plan (OHP) benefits, connecting people experiencing a loss of benefits to health coverage experts, and helping people enroll in new coverage. The dashboard is updated daily.
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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