Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members with a medical need and who are facing certain life changes may now qualify for new climate-related benefits. The new benefits are part of Oregon’s 1115 Medicaid waiver to expand OHP coverage by introducing health-related social needs (HRSN) services, which can help maintain health and well-being, but aren’t thought of as medical services.  

These benefits include devices that promote healthy temperatures and clean air such as air conditioners, heaters and air filters, as well as mini refrigeration units for storing medications. Portable power supplies to operate medical equipment (i.e., ventilators during power outages) may also be available as a new benefit.  

The state is extending eligibility for climate devices to people who are experiencing life transitions and often face social injustices. This includes people who: 

• Are or have been involved in the Oregon child welfare system
• Are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
• Are becoming or have recently become dual eligible with Medicare and Medicaid coverage
• Have been released from incarceration in the last year
• Have been discharged from Institutions for Mental Disease (IMDs) in the last year

OHP members must also have a health condition that makes climate events challenging or dangerous in order to qualify. 

OHP members interested in receiving climate devices should contact their coordinated care organization (CCO) to learn more. 

You can visit the 1115 waiver climate benefits web site or read the press release in English or Spanish to learn more.

For community organizations and partners interested in delivering new HRSN benefits to eligible OHP members, applications for community capacity building fund (CCBF) grants are now open through May 31, 2024.

Organizations that intend to serve eligible OHP members and have strong community relationships, specifically the ability to provide HRSN services in a way that is culturally responsive and ensures meaningful access to language services, are encouraged to apply for CCBF. Funds can be used for technology, workforce development, development of business practices or outreach and education related to the provision of HRSN services.

Organizations eligible for CCBF can be in the following categories: community-based organization (CBOs), social services agencies, traditional health care workers, child welfare providers, HRSN network managers, government agencies, or providers that focus on housing, nutrition, climate, case management, or outreach and engagement.

​Coordinated care organizations (CCOs) will administer the grants, except for those funds reserved for Tribal Governments. CCOs will be responsible for conducting outreach, receiving and reviewing applications, and awarding funding. Organizations can apply for CCBF through the CCO in their service area. Organizations may apply to more than one CCO, as long as the funding requests are not duplicative.

Additional information about CCBF is located on the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) CCBF web page, including an application template, a list of specific CCO contacts and application scoring guidelines.

Notices to awardees will go out in July and September. A list of statewide awardees will be available on the OHA web site. CCOs will disperse funds August to October 2024.

OHA and the Providence Center for Outcomes Research & Education (CORE) are looking for your feedback on how Oregon should evaluate the current 1115 Medicaid waiver.

Feedback will be used to update evaluation designs before they’re submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in April 2024.

Visit CORE’s Waiver Evaluation Resources page to review summaries of draft evaluation designs in English and Spanish for four different parts of the waiver:

(1) Continuous Eligibility and Temporary Medicaid Expansion

(2) Young Adults with Special Health Care Needs

(3) Health-Related Social Needs

(4) Sustainability & Costs

Feedback can be submitted via an online form or sent by email to OR1115WaiverEval@providence.org. To make sure there is time to consider your feedback, please submit comments by no later than 5pm on Monday March 25, 2024.