Sept. 28, 2023
In this update:
More than half of all Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and Medicaid members have come up for renewal. Of these members:
- 522,613 people (70.1 percent) renewed. Some of these members will need to provide information to keep their benefits. These members will be in a new category in a future update to the Medical Redeterminations Dashboard.
- 96,530 (12.0 percent) no longer qualify for medical benefits. They received 60-day close notices. Medical benefits started closing for these members at the end of June.
- 23,770 people (2.9 percent) now qualify for reduced medical benefits. Most of these members lost full OHP, but now qualify for Medicare Savings Programs to help pay for Medicare costs.
- 12,262 people (1.5 percent) have yet to respond to their renewal notices.
- Renewals for 109,218 people (13.5 percent) need state action, such as reviewing information the member sent in response to their renewal notice.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA)’s recent press release also features:
- A summary of September renewal letters
- Health coverage options for members whose OHP is ending
- What members should do when it’s their turn to renew
- Where members can find help renewing their benefits
In August, at least 11,700 OHP and Medicare Savings Program (MSP) members received incorrect approval notices.
These members had either not responded to a renewal or were no longer eligible for medical for other reasons. They were supposed to receive a closure notice but were mistakenly sent an approval notice instead.
All affected members will keep their medical coverage through at least Dec. 31, 2023.
People affected by this error will be sent a notice either mid-September or mid-October informing them they either still need to submit more information to keep their benefits, or that their coverage is ending.
People will also get calls from the state in late September explaining what happened, and what they need to provide to determine if they are still eligible beyond Dec. 31, 2023.
More information is available in the FAQs linked below.
Many of our members worry phone calls or letters they receive could be a scam. We want to let you know about some legitimate letters members are currently receiving in the mail.
Oregon Health Insurance Survey
OHA is currently sending the Oregon Health Insurance Survey (OHIS) to households in Oregon as part of 2023 data collection. This survey is an important source of information about health care coverage and progress towards health equity goals in the state. For instance, it is one way we measure our uninsured rate.
To help encourage people to take the survey, some invitation letters included a $1 bill as an incentive. We hope that the recipients will complete the survey, but they are welcome to keep the $1 whether they complete the survey or not.
Mental Health Services Survey
OHA is also currently fielding the Mental Health Statistics Improvement Program Survey. It is an annual survey of people who receive mental health care services through Medicaid.
Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) will provide approximately $39 million in Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to approximately 325,000 students.
The first and largest group of issuances is already complete. ODHS has added a one-time amount of $120 to children's existing cards from past issuances. Eligible children will receive a letter in the mail following the benefit issuance. Newly eligible children will receive a new P-EBT card in the mail. Subsequent disbursements will occur regularly until Sept. 29, 2023.
Please encourage families and parents to call the P-EBT Call Center for assistance at 844-ORE-PEBT (844-673-7328) Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time. This is a temporary hotline for P-EBT only.
ODHS has also received federal approval for additional P-EBT benefits for children under age six who are not attending school. More information about when and how ODHS will issue those benefits will be announced soon.
Losing OHP? You still have options!
While the state is processing renewals for each OHP member, some people may lose OHP benefits who are no longer eligible due to an increase in income or other household change.
Do not worry! The Marketplace is here to help you find new quality health coverage, likely with financial help. Nearly 80 percent of Marketplace enrollees in Oregon qualify for financial help, which means you probably will too.
How to keep children covered
To keep children covered, ODHS and OHA sent renewal notices to OHP households with children first, from April through August 2023. Please be sure to let families and caregivers know to respond to any requests for information right away.
To keep their OHP, people need to respond by these dates:
Join ODHS and OHA for webinars about how the two agencies are working together to wind down the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
The recording and presentation slides from the September English and Spanish webinars are now available. Learn about:
- Information about new Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits for children.
- Updates on SNAP time limits for people with Able-bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) status.
- Progress on eligibility redeterminations for Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and other Medicaid benefits.
- Resources for partners, including how to order free Keep Covered campaign materials.
Sign up for future updates at the November webinars. Webinars are held in English and Spanish from 10 to 11 a.m. Pacific Time.
-
English webinar: November 14.
-
Spanish webinar: November 16.
Notice Guides explain the types of notices people may receive about the medical, food, cash and child care benefits issued through the ONE Eligibility system. Partners can use these guides to help people receiving benefits understand what to expect and how to navigate the medical renewal process.
The Notice of Eligibility guides now show how an OHP member’s Continuous Eligibility Period displays in the notices they receive about approved OHP benefits.
The Continuous Eligibility Period is the length of time someone can keep their medical benefits even if something changes, like income or family size.
|