How To Qualify For Oregon Health Plan Or Affordable Health Insurance

To qualify for OHP, individuals and families must meet income and residency requirements. Oregonians may also qualify based on age, health care resources and disability status.

For Adults OHP is available to adults who earn up to 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. For a single person, income should be less than $1,507/month or household income of $3,076 for a family of four.

Children OHP is available to kids and teens whose family earns up to 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Thats about $4,578/mo for a family of two or $6,938/mo for a family of four.

What Are The 2022 Oregon Health Plan Income Limits To Apply For Medicaid Or Oregon Health Plan

See below for income limits:

HOWEVER: If your gross household income is higher than the income limits above, Health Plans In Oregon is here to help you apply for affordable health plans through the Health Insurance Marketplace and see if you can qualify for financial assistance to help pay for your health plan premium.

Not only that, but.In January 2018, Oregon Health Authority started a program called OHP Now Covers Me! This program provides FREE health care to children and teens under 19 REGARDLESS of immigration status.

When Can I Enroll On Oregon Health Plan

You can enroll anytime throughout the year if you qualify for Oregon Health Plan based on your income. See below for income eligibility. If you applied for OHP but got denied or didnt get approved, dont worry, you may still be able to enroll in an affordable health insurance plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Check and shop for affordable health insurance here: ENROLL on Affordable Health Insurance

Read Also: Can You Be Turned Down For Health Insurance

Average Cost Of Health Insurance By Family Size In Oregon

When considering your familyâs health insurance options, keep in mind that factors like the number of people who need coverage and their ages will affect the monthly premium. If you add children to your health insurance plan, each child will cost a flat rate for coverage until they are 15 years old. After reaching 15, the monthly rate will increase as they grow older.

For instance, the average monthly health insurance cost for a family of three, assuming two 40-year-old parents and a child on a Silver plan, is $1,187 in Oregon. If you were to add another child to the plan, the monthly premium would increase by $236. For a family of four, the total monthly cost of health coverage would be $1,423.

Sample rates are based on the average monthly cost for a Silver plan in Oregon for 40-year-old adults and children under 15.

Who Qualifies For Subsidies

Depending on where you live and how old you are, you may qualify for a premium subsidy in 2022, even if your income is well above 400% of the poverty level.

However, if the cost of the benchmark plan would already be no more than 8.5% of your income without a subsidy, you would not be eligible for a subsidy.

Even before the American Rescue Plan eliminated the “subsidy cliff,” 400% of the poverty level for a family of four amounted to $104,800 in 2021.

Obamacare subsidies are not available to undocumented immigrants. However, most legally-residing immigrants can apply.

With American Rescue Plan, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reports that:

• Eighty percent of marketplace enrollees have access to at least one plan that costs $10 or less in monthly premiums after the tax credits are applied.
• More than half of enrollees have access to a silver plan that costs $10 or less in monthly premiums.

Subsidies have made self-purchased health insurance much more affordable, but few people purchase their own coverage. Most people get health insurance from their employer or from the government .

Read Also: Why Is Florida Health Insurance So Expensive

Why Have An Individual Mandate

These states have an individual mandate for the same reason the ACA originally did. Without an individual mandate, people would only buy insurance if they knew they were going to need it. Most often, this means the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions.

But those who use their health insurance the most are also the most expensive to insure. Before the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies would evaluate all applicants before enrolling them. Based on peoples age and medical history, the insurance companies would then deny them health care coverage, or charge them more for it. But the ACA made that kind of discrimination illegal. And then it took things one step further. An individual mandate is an incentive for everyone to get health insurance, even healthy people. That meant there was now a larger pool of people applying for health insurance. And with more healthy people getting health insurance, health insurance companies could lower premiums for everyone.

In other words, the individual mandate was meant to be one of the of cost-savings and consumer protections we associate with the ACA. It allows more people to be insured at a lesser rate per person. Even though there is no national individual mandate anymore, some states have passed their own mandates to help keep more people insured at lower costs per person. If the mandates help more people get insured, taxpayers in these states will have lower monthly premiums on average.

Who Qualifies For Medicaid Or Oregon Health Plan

Oregon Health Plan is Oregons Medicaid program which provides free health care coverage to low-income individuals and families in Oregon through programs administered by the Division of Medical Assistance Programs .

Here are several health care programs available for low-income Oregonians through the Oregon Health Plan :

• OHP Plus for children ages 0-18 and adults ages 19-64
• OHP Plus Supplemental for pregnant adults age 21 or older
• OHP with Limited Drug for adults who qualify for both Medicaid and Medicare Part D

Other medical programs available includes:

• Citizen Alien Waived Emergent Medical this program covers emergency medical services only. If you are new in Oregon or living in the United States for less than 5 years, you can apply for this program.
• Qualified Medicare Beneficiary People with Medicare who are in this program are also enrolled in Medicaid and get help in paying Medicare premiums, deductibles and copays.

Read Also: Can Health Insurance Not Cover Pre Existing Conditions

Dhs Denied My Ohp Application How Do I Get A Hearing

In order to have a hearing, you must fill out a hearing request form. To obtain this form go to your local DHS office and ask the receptionist for a DHS Form 443 or get it on the Internet. .

To find out about your hearing rights, call the Public Benefits Hotline or your local Legal Aid office for possible advice or representation. Go to www.oregonlawhelp.org for a directory of legal aid programs.

How Do I Enroll In Medicaid In Oregon

If you are under 65 and dont have Medicare:

• The best way to enroll in Oregon Health Plan is online at HealthCare.gov or One Oregon.
• You can also contact HealthCare.gov by phone to enroll at 1-800-318-2596.
• Residents with certain special-eligibility status can enroll through Oregonhealthcare.gov.
• You can also get in-person assistance with an application by contacting a community partner. This link will help you find assistance in your area.
• Those who are currently enrolled Oregon Health Plan and Healthy Kids need to renew their benefits annually. They will receive a notice from the state when its time to do this, and the Oregon Health Plan website has renewal forms and full renewal applications available for existing members.

If you are 65 or older or have Medicare:

• You can apply for Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program using One Oregon.
• You can also receive free assistance with applying through an Area Agency on Aging or a Department of Human Services Office for Aging and People with Disabilities.

Read Also: Can You Have 2 Health Insurances

What Does Ohp Cover

It covers your regular visits to the doctor, plus a lot of dental care, mental health care, and substance use care at no cost to you. It also covers prescriptions, lab tests, x-rays, hospital care, interpretation at visits if you need it, and rides to and from appointments. Its a great way to take care of the health needs you have now and to prevent health issues in the future.

What Are My Options For Buying Short

Short-term health insurance can help fill temporary insurance gaps, such as being between jobs or missing the Obamacare enrollment window.

Oregon limits temporary plans to three months, including renewals. 32

Its important to know, though, that these plans, available from seven insurers in the state, dont include the minimum essential coverage required by the Affordable Care Act.33 Check disclosures carefully to see what coverage is guaranteed by any policy you consider.

Also Check: How To Find The Best Private Health Insurance

More Info On Applying For Oregon Health Plan

If you think you may qualify for the OHP, you should visit OregonHealthCare.gov. Answer a few screening questions to find out what application works best for you. For some people, it may be best to fill out Oregons state-based, online PDF or paper application. Its very important to apply immediately because it can take up to 45 days to process your application. OHP may cover you from the day you applied as long as your application gets processed and approved. However, if you do not get approved, and if youve incurred medical bills during the application process, you may be responsible to pay those medical bills.

If you want to protect yourself in the event of accidents, heart attack or other unforeseen medical maladies while your application is being processed, you can enroll for affordable short term medical insurance. Click here to shop for affordable short term medical insurance- SHOP SHORT TERM MEDICAL

For those who dont qualify for the OHP based on income, you may still be able to enroll through the Insurance Marketplace, and perhaps qualify for tax credits or financial assistance to help pay for your private health insurance. Click here to shop for affordable health insurance plans in Oregon: Shop for Affordable Health Insurance

Which Oregon Health Plan am I enrolled on?

If you live in Clackamas, Multnomah, or Washington counties, youll most likely be enrolled in Health Share. Your card looks like this. See below:

How often do I need to renew my OHP?

What is CCO?

What If I Quit Or Lose My Job

In most cases, when you quit or lose your job, you also lose your job-based health insurance coverage.

You might be eligible to continue your coverage for 18 months through COBRA or state continuation.

However, you have to be able to pay both your share of the premium and the part your employer had been paying.

Read Also: How Much Does Usps Health Insurance Cost

Insurance For Families In Oregon

Shopping for affordable health insurance plans in Oregon can get more complicated when you have family members who need coverage as well. While you may be healthy and need only minimal medical care, the ongoing medical needs of any member of your family could radically change your priorities regarding what kind of coverage youre looking for and the costs youre willing to pay. To get the best health coverage you can for your family, you have to balance the needs of every family member covered by your plan with the cost of your monthly premium, annual deductible, and coinsurance requirements.

Your plan structure is also affected by the needs of your family members. HMOs can work well for routine and low-demand health needs, while the flexibility of a PPO may work better for you if a family member needs ongoing care. When youre looking for coverage for multiple people, you want to shop around for a plan that offers enough flexibility to accommodate everybodys needs. If, for instance, you and your spouse have ongoing health needs, a simple HMO plan might serve you well. If you have a child with an ongoing medical condition, however, it might be worth it to shop for a more flexible PPO or POS plan. Before you sign up for a family plan, check your plan details for how much coverage it offers and how flexible it can be.

Oregon Health Insurance: Find Affordable Plans

See how you can get cheap health insurance in OR, including marketplace plans, Medicare, and Medicaid.

• IX.

Oregon residents have several options for finding affordable health insurance. Many people get insurance through work, while others buy coverage through the state health insurance exchange. Medicare and Medicaid offer several affordable health insurance plans for seniors and people with limited income.

This guide goes over some of your options for finding affordable health insurance plans in Oregon, along with tips for how to get signed up for the care you need.

Don’t Miss: Can You Pay Your Health Insurance Deductible Upfront

Who Can Help Me Coordinate My Child’s Health Care

If your child has Oregon Health Plan OHP and requires a lot of providers, medications, or appointments, you may be eligible for help coordinating that care from an “Exceptional needs care coordinator”, “Intensive care manager”, or” Community health worker”. You can also ask for a “Family peer support worker”, who is a trained family member and will understand what you are going through. See our OR F2F HIC tip sheet: Getting to know your ENCC provider for instructions on how to request care coordination help.

Most plans that are not OHP also provide help. Call the number on your child’s insurance card and ask? “Is there is someone who can provide care coordination?” Some medical home primary care offices also offer care coordination.

What Is The Obamacare Penalty If I Dont Buy Health Insurance

If you do not buy Obamacare or other qualifying health coverage you will be subject to a tax penalty for each month you go without coverage. This fee should be paid when you file your federal tax return. In some special cases, there are exemptions to this penalty.

The Obamacare penalty for 2016 is either 1) 2.5% of your household income, with a maximum of the price of a Bronze plan sold through the Marketplace, or 2) $695 per adult and $347.50 per child under 18 yrs of age with a maximum of $2,085. You will pay whichever of the two options is higher.

The Obamacare penalty for 2017 is fairly similar to 2016 with the percentage fee of 2.5% remaining the same, however, the flat fee will be adjusted for inflation.

Read Also: Where To Buy Private Health Insurance

How Much Does Marketplace Health Insurance Cost In Oregon

Whether you choose a plan within or outside the Marketplace, all are organized by levels of cost-sharing, also known as metal tiers of gold, silver and bronze.

Premiums for these plans in Oregon have decreased since 2019. Here are the average monthly costs a 40-year-old resident would pay for bronze, silver and gold plans sold through the Oregon Marketplace for the last three years:9

For 2022, the state-approved increases of 1.5% for the average subsidized premium.9

How Can I Get The Oregon Health Plan

There are different programs within the Oregon Health Plan . Each program has different eligibility rules. Most children in low income families are eligible for OHP. For a child to be eligible for OHP, the family income must be 200% of poverty or below.

There are also OHP programs for some low income adults:

• Pregnant women,
• People who are disabled,
• People who are on Supplemental Security Income ,
• People who are low income and live in a nursing home, adult foster home, assisted living, or receive care in their own home paid for by DHS
• Families getting TANF cash benefits or Pre-TANF or who would be eligible for TANF
• Families who go off of TANF because of child support or employment income
• Some people who have been diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer
• Certain refugees

All of the adults who are eligible for those programs, and all children on OHP receive OHP Plus benefits.

There other programs with different benefit packages:

• CAWEM for people who would be eligible for any of the OHP programs if they were US citizens or met the immigration requirements for those programs. CAWEM pays for emergency medical services and for delivering babies. In Benton, Clackamas, Deschutes, Hood River, Jackson, Lane and Multnomah Counties, pregnant women eligible for CAWEM receive OHP Plus benefits
• OHP Standard for adults who are not eligible for any of the OHP plus programs and have income at or below 100% of the poverty level.

Don’t Miss: How To Change Health Insurance From One State To Another

Can You Get Cheap Health Insurance In Oregon

Oregon offers two main programs for low-income health insurance: Medicaid and Citizen Alien Waived Emergent Medical . Medicaid is the standard affordable health insurance plan for low-income households in Oregon, while the other programs in the state are available for people in specific circumstances. Income, asset, and coverage limits vary with each plan.

Finding The Best Health Insurance Coverage In Oregon

Because the county in which you live determines health insurance plan availability and cost, the best health insurance plan for you may differ depending on where you live. Furthermore, the best health plan for you depends on your medical needs and financial situation. Within each tier, the costs and benefits will differ, but all plans within a given tier will offer roughly the same coverage and require you to pay the same expenses as a whole.

Typically, policies in the higher metal tiers have costlier monthly premiums, but they also have lower out-of-pocket expenses, like deductibles, copays and coinsurance. If you think you may become sick or already have high recurring medical costs, like ongoing prescriptions, a policy in a higher metal tier may be the best choice for you. Alternatively, if you’re young and healthy, getting a policy in a lower metal tier may help you save money.

Gold plans: Best for high expected medical costs

Plans in the higher metal tiers typically cover the largest portion of out-of-pocket costs, which means paying lower deductibles, copays and coinsurance. These health insurance plans are the most cost-effective if you expect to incur high medical expenses due to chronic conditions or costly prescriptions.

On average, you can expect a Gold plan to cover roughly 80% of your health care expenses, while you pay the other 20%. But these benefits come at the expense of a higher monthly premium compared to Silver or Bronze plans.

Don’t Miss: How To Find Personal Health Insurance