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OHA’s External Relations Division, with help from Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Sean McAnulty, OHP Member Communications coordinator, answered today’s questions.
Q: Where can I look up information about water quality in Oregon's lakes and streams? – Alex, Corvallis
A: The best place to explore Oregon’s water quality data is to visit Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) website. There you will find many resources, perhaps the most useful being the Water Quality Index page which includes an interactive map and other data including historical trends. These data are updated annually, with the next update scheduled for early 2024.
“If you’re looking for the most recent data for a specific water body, including information on pollutants such as pesticides, etc., check DEQ’s Ambient Water Quality Monitoring System database. It shows the latest available detailed and scientific data for most of Oregon’s rivers and streams, lakes, estuaries, beaches and groundwater resources.
“If there are potentially hazardous water quality conditions, such as toxic algae blooms or other pollutants harmful to one’s health, OHA issues public advisories and may post warning signs on-site. Advisories for Oregon’s beaches, fresh water and fish consumption can be found here.”
Q: What is the poverty level to qualify for Medicaid? -- Manuel, Gresham
A: Your question is a good one and somewhat complicated. We always encourage people to apply for Oregon Health Plan (OHP/Medicaid) to find out if they are eligible, as income limits vary depending on individual situations. In general, the limits are based on income and family size.
For those without Medicare, a person or family’s gross (pre-tax) income must be at or below 138% of the federal poverty level to qualify for OHP. The limits are higher (190%) for pregnant people and even higher (305%) for children under 19. (For those on Medicare, income limits for OHP/Medicaid get much more complicated.)
In terms of dollar amounts, it depends on your family size. In Oregon, for a single non-pregnant adult without Medicare, their gross (pre-tax) income must be at or below $1,677 per month to qualify for OHP. For the adults in a family of four to qualify, total gross family household income would need to be at or below $3,450 per month. This chart shows a variety of possible scenarios, in English and Spanish, and their corresponding income limits.
However, there are many exceptions and factors that affect OHP eligibility, regardless of income. Again, we encourage people to apply for OHP online or call 800-699-9075 (Mon-Fri, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.) to discuss their personal situation.
If you want to see if you qualify for OHP before submitting a full application, visit this webpage to answer a few quick questions. The tool will tell you if you may qualify for OHP or other coverage and savings.
If you have questions about health topics in Oregon, submit your question here. Although we are unable to answer every question, we try to address those that may be of interest to a broader audience. Please understand that we are unable to provide specific medical advice for personal medical conditions.
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