Jan. 31, 2025
In this update:
 
February 2025 is the final month of unwinding the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Oregon has completed 99.8 percent of renewals as of January 8. This newsletter will end in March after sharing final unwinding results.
Oregon’s renewal rate remains high. More than 80 percent of renewals are keeping their benefits. In this final phase, more complex renewals are getting done. These renewals have higher benefit closure and reduction rates. Most reductions from the Oregon Health Plan are to a Medicare Savings Program. This is largely because the final phase of renewals includes more people with Medicare, such as older adults and people with disabilities.
During the COVID-19 PHE, OHP and Medicare Savings Program members had more time to respond to renewals. Oregon extended these timelines longer than any other state in the nation. Members had at least 90 days to respond and 60 days’ advance notice before closing benefits. These longer timelines end when the PHE unwinding ends in February.
Normal 30-day timelines started in October for members who renewed early in the unwinding. Members whose benefits close because they did not respond within 30 days will still have a 90-day reconsideration period. During that time, they can respond and reopen benefits without a new application.
ODHS and OHA have heard and share concerns about older adults and people with disabilities losing their OHP benefits at higher rates than other OHP members. We are committed to advancing health equity and access to quality care through all available means.
However, the higher closure rates are due to the different eligibility rules for people with Medicare. Once someone becomes eligible for Medicare, the income limits to qualify for OHP generally decrease.
For single adults who qualify for Medicare, but do not qualify for long-term services and supports or the Employed Persons with Disabilities program:
- The income limit can be as low as $943 ($967 in 2025) a month. The income limit for adults without Medicare is $1,732.
- Financial resource limits may also be a factor. Medicare members must have $2,000 or less in countable assets to qualify for OHP.
These are federal limits. States can choose less restrictive limits. For Medicaid, 25 states and the District of Columbia have done so. In 2016, Oregon eliminated resource limits for Medicare Savings Programs. California is the only state that removed all financial resource limits and ensured its income limits are the same across Medicaid programs.
A similar change in Oregon would require legislative action and funding. ODHS and OHA are monitoring California’s progress and exploring options for Oregon.
People don’t have to wait on the phone to get basic information about their benefits or submit documents. To help people access their medical, food, cash and child care benefit information, Oregon offers several alternatives to waiting on hold. Go to benefits.oregon.gov to see all options for contacting us.
- People can create ONE Online accounts to apply for and manage their medical, food, cash and child care benefits at any time.
- The Oregon ONE Mobile app also offers a safe and supportive way for individuals who have applied for benefits to manage their benefits, wherever and whenever they feel most comfortable. The free Oregon ONE Mobile app is available in English and Spanish on Apple and Android.
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