The Oregon Department of Health and the Oregon Department of Human Services have pledged to remain transparent and will continue to update Oregonians on medical coverage eligibility. The report will be released monthly. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government allowed states to maintain the eligibility of Medicaid recipients without requiring annual renewals. Oregon’s Medicaid program, the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), saw its enrollment grow to 1.5 million people. In April, the state began reassessing the eligibility of all OHP and Medicare Savings Program (MSP) members. While most individuals will remain eligible for existing benefits, the OHA will review all OHP and MSP member eligibility records by mid-2024.
The reassessment process for the 1.5 million members started in April. Renewal notices will be sent to all OHP households in the next ten months, and individuals are encouraged to update their contact information with the state to receive these notices. To avoid delays and discontinuation of coverage, members must respond to any information requests promptly. Members who lose coverage will be notified at least 60 days in advance and can explore other coverage options like financial assistance through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM), Medicare, or employer insurance.
In April, two new data dashboards became available that track Oregon’s progress in determining eligibility for medical programs and the customer service experience of individuals contacting the ONE Customer Service Center. These dashboards will be frequently updated to ensure transparency. To receive medical insurance extension support, Oregonians can visit OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp.
The data from the first month of reassessing OHP member eligibility showed that 75,436 updated their OHP. However, 29,072 cases required detailed information to complete the process, and 8,394 were deemed ineligible and received a 60-day notice of end of coverage. Individuals whose coverage is terminated will need to report changes in income or household information promptly and apply for other health insurance to avoid a gap in coverage.