Renewal data shows more than 8 out of 10 Oregonians keeping medical benefits; Oregon in top four states protecting medical benefits

SALEM, Ore. – More than halfway into the unwinding of federal pandemic benefits, renewal data shows that more than 8 out of 10 Oregonians are keeping their Oregon Health Plan (OHP) or other Medicaid benefits. So far, around 1 in 6 people’s benefits are ending or reducing. Updated renewal categories now allow Oregon to compare benefit closure and reduction rates across states. So far, Oregon has the fourth-lowest closure and reduction rates in the nation.

OHP renewals after the pandemic – During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government allowed states to keep people on Medicaid and did not require annual eligibility renewals. This ended when the public health emergency ended, and Oregon is currently making sure everyone on OHP is still eligible.

Everyone who has OHP or other Medicaid-funded services and supports will receive a renewal notice by mid-2024. The notice will explain whether the member needs to provide additional information or take action to keep their coverage.

Oregon can process many renewals automatically. Some members need to provide additional information so that we can determine if they are still eligible. Additional information requested from members may include documents such as paystubs or a renewal packet they are asked to review, sign and return.

OHP renewals so far – As of Oct. 19, 2023, 807,765 people have completed the renewal process. This represents 55.6 percent of all OHP and Medicaid members, taking Oregon more than halfway through the unwinding process.

• 668,265 people (82.5%) were renewed and kept their benefits.
• 111,998 people (13.8%) were found ineligible. Closures began at the end of June.
• 25,714 people (3.2%) had a reduction in their benefits. Most of these members lost full OHP, but were able to continue our Medicare Savings Programs that help pay their Medicare costs.

October OHP renewal requests

In October, renewal letters were sent to an additional 137,032 people.

• 65.4 percent were renewed without any action needed.
• 19.4 percent were asked to provide some information to renew. The most common requests are for income-related proof, like paystubs, or forms of identification, like a government identification or birth certificate.
• 11.9 percent were asked to fill out a renewal form.
• 3.4 percent had previously reported that they no longer met income limits or other requirements, so received a notice that their benefits will be ending in 60 days.

Data dashboard update

Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) has recategorized some renewals in the Medical Redeterminations Dashboard. People who were automatically renewed but still need to submit some information were previously categorized as completed renewals with continuing benefits. These renewals now appear as initiated renewals awaiting member response. With this change, renewal data can now focus on completed renewals.

This allows for state-by-state comparison; Oregon’s 17% closure and reduction rate is currently the fourth lowest in the nation .

State responds to renewal system issues – This month, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and ODHS responded to three issues with the renewal process:

• Extending coverage for members who received incorrect approval notices: Around 11,700 members who did not respond to renewal requests received incorrect approval notices instead of closure notices. ODHS/OHA extended their coverage extended through the end of the year. These members received a new notice and call explaining that they can provide the missing information by the end of the year to prevent closure.
• Correcting or preventing incorrect terminations: Medical benefits for 2,268 people incorrectly ended at the end of September. 1,226 people incorrectly received notices explaining that their benefits would end at the end of October. ODHS/OHA will restore these people’s benefits or prevent them from closing. All affected members will receive new notices in November. In 2024, they will get another notice letting them know whose benefits are renewed without needing a response, and who in their household still needs to respond to a renewal to keep benefits.
• Restoring Oregon Supplemental Income Program—Medical (OSIP-M) benefits: OSIP-M is a program that provides OHP coverage to Oregonians who are legally blind, have a disability, and/or are 65 or older–and have limited income and financial resources. ODHS paused closures and restored coverage to 20,000 people found over the income or financial resource limits for OSIP-M. ODHS is updating OSIP-M notices with more information about members’ options, such as spending down excess financial resources. This way, they can make an informed decision and have additional time to report changes and keep their benefits if still eligible. In 2024, these members will get another renewal notice, after which benefits may end if still over the income or resource limits.

What to do if OHP is ending:

• First, review the case summary in your letter to make sure the information used to make the decision was correct. If that information has changed, notify the state. You can call the ONE Customer Service Center at 800-699-9075 (toll-free, all relay calls accepted) or find other options to connect at benefits.oregon.gov. If the information on file for you is correct and you disagree with the decision, you can request a hearing. Learn more about hearings here
• Explore options through an employer. If you, your spouse, or a parent are working, you may be eligible for health coverage through that employer. Talk to your manager or Human Resources department to see if you qualify. You will have a special enrollment period to enroll mid-year due to loss of OHP benefits.
• If you have or are eligible for Medicare: For help understanding Medicare options, go to OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp to find an insurance agent or a counselor at the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA), or call SHIBA at 800-722-4134. SHIBA counselors and insurance can help you choose the right Medicare options if you’re losing OHP coverage.

If you need to sign up for Medicare for the first time, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) at 800-772-1213 to enroll by phone or find a local office. You can also enroll in Medicare online at ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up

• Nearly 80 percent of Oregonians qualify for financial help through the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace. Visit OregonHealthCare.gov/WindowShop to answer a few quick questions and find out how much you can save and how much coverage may cost you. You can also call the Marketplace Transition Help Center at 833-699-6850 (toll-free, all relay calls accepted).
• Need free local help figuring any of this out? Visit OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp to find professional help near you.

Find help for renewing your benefits

1. Learn more about how to renew your Oregon Health Plan medical coverage.
2. Call the ONE Customer Service Center: 800-699-9075 (all relay calls are accepted, and help is available in multiple languages).
3. Stop by or call a local office. People can find their local office at:  https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/Pages/office-finder.aspx
4. Visit a community partner for free, in-person help. To find one near you visit OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp(English) or orhim.info/ayuda(Spanish).

ODHS and OHA encourage members to protect their benefits

The large number of OHP renewals, along with renewals of long-term services and supports, may cause greater wait times, delays, and possible interruptions to people’s OHP benefits. OHP members are encouraged to respond as quickly as possible after they receive a request for information to avoid any possible delays. The fastest way members can provide an update is by going to benefits.oregon.gov and logging into their ONE online account.

Members can visit KeepCovered.Oregon.gov to learn:

• What to do to protect their medical benefits
• Where to get help renewing their benefits
• How to provide updates when it’s time to renew
• How to explore health coverage options through a job, Medicare or the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace if they no longer qualify for OHP

Community partners and providers can find resources to support members through the unwinding process at KeepCoveredPartners.Oregon.gov.

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) are committed to transparency and will continue to send monthly information about medical coverage among Oregonians as the agencies continue to track the programs.

Taxpayer Advocate urges Oregonians to volunteer to help low-income families receive millions in unclaimed tax benefits

Salem, OR—The Internal Revenue Service is once again recruiting people to assist in the free preparation of taxes as part of its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs, and the Department of Revenue’s Taxpayer Advocate is encouraging Oregonians to volunteer.

“Oregon needs more VITA and TCE sites and volunteers,” said Oregon Taxpayer Advocate Codi Trudell. “Volunteers have helped more than 28,000 Oregonians file their tax returns in 2023, but the need is substantially higher. VITA and TCE sites turn people away every day due to a lack of volunteers.”

The IRS estimates that one in five Oregon taxpayers eligible to claim the federal Earned Income Tax Credit are not doing so. One Oregon organization estimates that the unclaimed credits total nearly $100 million annually.

“There are significant federal and Oregon-specific tax credit benefits available to low-income individuals and families, but they need to file a tax return to claim the benefits,” Trudell said. “By volunteering to help file those returns, Oregonians can make a big difference in their communities.”

In addition to the need for volunteers, the IRS is also seeking organizations to sponsor VITA and TCE clinics. Last year, free tax assistance was made available at 88 sites across the state.

The VITA and TCE programs include training to provide free tax help for low-to-moderate income families who need assistance preparing their tax returns. Across the country, thousands of people volunteer each year and prepare millions of tax returns at thousands of tax sites nationwide.

Volunteers are assigned to work with a sponsoring organization, first to receive training and then to begin volunteering at a location in the community. Training is offered both online and in the classroom. Tax sites are generally open nights and weekends, and the hours are flexible.

Additional information is available on the IRS website. Interested persons can submit an inquiry now using the VITA/TCE Volunteer and Partner Sign Up moving them one step closer to becoming a VITA or TCE tax volunteer and giving back to their community. The IRS will share information about those interested in volunteering with sponsoring organizations for follow-up contact.

Organizations with an interest in partnering with the IRS to sponsor or host a free tax preparation site in Oregon can also complete and submit the VITA/TCE Volunteer and Partner Sign Up.

To get tax forms, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/dor or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. You also can call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing- or speech-impaired), we accept all relay calls.

Employment Related Day Care program opens waitlist for most families applying after November 3 – Eligible families are encouraged to apply now

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) reminds families that the Employment Related Day Care (ERDC) program will open a waitlist next week. The ERDC program helps families pay for child care through state and federal funds. The ERDC waitlist, announced last month, will open after an unprecedented increase in demand and limited available funding. Families should apply by November 3, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. if they think they may be eligible.

“We want to be sure families have had ample opportunity to apply for ERDC before the program opens a waitlist. We also want families to know there are other affordable child care programs they may qualify for,” said Alyssa Chatterjee, Director of DELC. “The good news is that the increase in ERDC enrollment means the recent changes to the program allow it to work better for families. We will continue working with the Legislature to identify more funding to support the program.”

Here is what families need to know:

• Families currently receiving ERDC will continue to receive benefits as usual after November 3, 2023.
• Families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level (e.g., up to $5,000 per month for a family of four) may be eligible for ERDC and are encouraged to apply right away.
• Families can apply in the following ways:
  • Go to Benefits.Oregon.gov
  • Visit or call their local office
  • Dial 1-800-699-9075
• Families can text the word “children” to 898211 or call 211 if they need help finding their local office or figuring out how to apply to ERDC.
• Some families outlined in Oregon rule can skip the waitlist:
  • Families recently or currently receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Temporary Assistance for Domestic Violence Survivors (TA-DVS)
  • Families referred by the Child Welfare division of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS)
  • Families reapplying for ERDC within two months of benefits ending.
• After November 3, 2023, families applying for ERDC that do not meet an exemption above will be placed on a waitlist. DELC will regularly follow up with families on the waitlist to provide updates.
• The waitlist is likely to be in place for at least 18 months, depending on the level of investment and the rate at which families leave the program.
• Families who need support paying for child care after November 3, 2023 are encouraged to reach out to 211 or their local Early Learning Hub to learn more about programs such as Preschool Promise and Oregon Prenatal to Kindergarten.

Once more funding becomes available and enrollment drops to a sustainable level, families will be selected from the waitlist based on the date they were added. The first to apply will be the first selected for eligibility screening and potential enrollment. Once a family is selected from the waitlist, they will receive a notice inviting them to apply for ERDC within 45 days.

Go to Oregon.gov/DELC/ERDC to learn more.

Bureau of Land Management Oregon/Washington goes batty

Fat Bear Week is over, but you can still support wild animals in need. It’s time for the annual Bureau of Land Management Bat Beauty Contest, and your local Oregon bats are here to defend their crown.

Each October, the BLM hosts a beauty contest to find the most stunning bat photographed on BLM public lands across the county. The event begins on October 24 and ends on Halloween. It also coincides with International Bat Week to raise awareness about bat conservation and their essential role in the natural world.

Last year, the BLM named Barbara, a canyon bat from Lake County, the 2022 Bat Beauty Contest Winner. Barbara was photographed by Kate Yates, BLM wildlife biologist.

This year, BLM offices in Oregon/Washington will be placing their hopes on William ShakespEAR, a Townsend’s big-eared bat from Butte Falls, photographed by Emma Busk, BLM wildlife biologist.

“We feel confident that William will bring us home the crown,” said Donald Manuszewski, BLM-OR/WA Deputy State Director for Communications. “He has the most beautiful ears.”

As a Townsend’s big-eared bat, William’s ears measure about half his body. The species can be found throughout both Oregon and Washington and is very vulnerable to human disturbance. Its numbers are declining, causing the species to be named an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species. In an effort to help, BLM wildlife biologists perform regular checks on Oregon caves to keep an eye on bat populations and monitor for symptoms of white-nose syndrome, which can kill hibernating bats.

Bats play an essential role in Oregon. All bats in the Pacific Northwest are insectivorous, meaning they rid our world of pests like mosquitos, beetles, and moths. Just one bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes in an hour!

“We hope the contest is fun, and we also hope it increases people’s appreciation of these creatures,” said Manuszewski. “Bats aren’t just beautiful, they’re also in need of our protection.”

Want to do your part? As we head into winter, avoid exploring mines and caves where bats may be hibernating. And this week, help us share information about our flying friends!

To cast your ballot for William, visit the Bureau of Land Management on Facebook (@BLMNational) or Instagram (@mypubliclands).

-BLM- The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Merkley and Wyden Announce Federal Energy Assistance For Oregonians

On Thursday, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that Oregon was awarded $40.2 million in federal funding to help low-income households and Tribes pay for energy bills, prevent utility shut-offs and more.

Wyden said, “With temperatures forecast to drop near or below freezing this weekend in Oregon, this assistance is especially timely”. Wyden said, “These federal funds will help Oregonians already struggling to make the choice between paying for utilities or food. Maintaining a warm home in cold weather is crucial, especially for households with young children, older adults, and people with disabilities”.

Merkley said, “Countless Oregon families are living paycheck-to-paycheck and struggling to pay their monthly bills”. Merkley said, “The assistance from the LIHEAP program will help keep the homes of Oregonians warm this winter and help ease the financial burden of rising utility costs”.

The release said administered through the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Community Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this funding from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps low-income households pay home heating and cooling bills, prevent energy shutoffs, restore services, make minor energy-related home repairs, and weatherize homes to make them more energy efficient.

Of the $40.2 million, LIHEAP is funding nearly $38.5 million to the state, with just over $639,000 going directly to Tribes. Over $1.1 million came from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Oregon National Guard Assistance in Two Search and Rescue Operations in Marion County

Working with the Marion County Sherriff’s Office on two different search and rescue (SAR) incidents, an Oregon Army National Guard HH-60M Black Hawk Helicopter helped save two stranded individuals on October 26, 2023, near Mt. Jefferson in the Jeff Park Wilderness area located in Marion County, Oregon.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a notification from the father of a missing male Australian mountain biker, routed through the consulate in Sydney, Australia, and stated that his son had texted him from Oregon and was stranded without cold weather gear. The mountain biker was stuck in a four to five-foot snowdrift along a trail near Hawk Mountain, Oregon. He was able to shelter in place overnight inside an existing hiking trail structure.

In a separate incident, a female hiker on the Pacific Coast Trail was caught in whiteout conditions for two days. She initially activated her In-Reach GPS device on Tuesday, Oct. 24, but ground crews were unable to reach her location due to the snowdrifts and fallen trees.

The State SAR and Oregon Army National Guard Aviation combined the two orders and airlifted both individuals on the same mission, as the two locations were only separated in distance by 11.5 miles – within the Jeff Park Wilderness area. The HH-60M crew flew them to the Detroit Lake Ranger Station where they received medical attention before being flown to Salem.

“The weather conditions delayed the operation because of the heavy snow and whiteout conditions,” said Scott Lucas, State SAR Coordinator, with the Oregon Department of Emergency Management. “Because the two locations were near each other, the helicopter was able to pick them both up on the same mission and take them to the ranger station together.”

Oregon State Trooper and motorist struck by suspected impaired driver during traffic stop near Roseburg

Oregon State Trooper and motorist struck by suspected impaired driver during traffic stop near Roseburg

On Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023, at approximately 7:30 a.m., an Oregon State Police patrol sergeant stopped a motorist for a traffic violation on Hwy 138E, facing westbound near milepost 10, in Douglas County.

During the traffic stop, an eastbound motorist crossed multiple lanes of travel and crashed head-on into the stopped vehicle. The operator of the stopped vehicle was critically injured. The patrol sergeant miraculously only suffered minor injuries and the suspect suffered minor injuries.  All of the involved were transported for medical evaluation and treatment.

Limited information is available for release at this time due to the ongoing criminal investigation.  The Oregon State Police is conducting an investigation into the potential impairment of the suspect impaired driver. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the crash.

Oregon Supreme Court To Decide GOP Senators’ Challenge To Walkout Penalties

Five Republican lawmakers say they can’t be barred from running for another term because they boycotted the Senate earlier this year. Now, Oregon’s top court will decide the true meaning of Measure 113.

The Oregon Supreme Court has accepted a legal challenge by five Republican senators who say they should be allowed to seek reelection despite walking away from the Legislature for six weeks this year.

The decision, announced Tuesday, means one of the more pressing legal questions in Oregon politics will be taken up by the state’s high court, rather than working its way through the appeals process. Impacted lawmakers – and those thinking of running for their seats – should have clarity before the March 12 deadline to file for office.

At issue is the actual meaning of Ballot Measure 113, the popular 2022 proposal that created new consequences for lawmakers who accrue 10 or more unexcused absences during a legislative session.

In news coverage, promotional materials and an official explanatory statement, the measure was touted as barring lawmakers who walk away to block legislative action from seeking reelection.

That’s the meaning that state elections officials have chosen to adopt. In a rule issued earlier this year, Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade announced that 10 conservative senators who walked away from this year’s legislative session would be prohibited from seeking reelection.

But five of those senators – Sens. Tim Knopp, Daniel Bonham, Suzanne Weber, Dennis Linthicum and Lynn Findley– have objected. In a legal challenge to Griffin-Valade’s ruling, they argue that the convoluted wording of the measure contained a loophole that went unnoticed last year. That wording, they believe, allows them to be reelected for one more term before penalties kick in.

The senators filed the challenge in the Oregon Court of Appeals but asked that the matter be put directly before the state Supreme Court. State attorneys defending Griffin-Valade in the matter agreed.

Supreme Court justices first signaled some uncertainty about whether they could fast-track a challenge to Griffin-Valade’s administrative ruling. They appeared to have cleared it up on Tuesday when the court announced it would accept the case – and adopt a speedy timetable. Oral arguments are set to begin Dec. 14th. (SOURCE)

Oregon Company Pays $1.7 Million for Accepting Payments from Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business

PORTLAND, Ore.—The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced today that Oregon Tool, Inc., a Portland-based manufacturer of professional-grade cutting tools, which at all relevant times was known as Blount, Inc., has entered into a non-prosecution agreement and paid $1.7 million for accepting payments for products sold to two distributors transmitted through an unlicensed money transmitting business linked by the FBI to a trade-based money laundering scheme in Nigeria.

In December 2019, the FBI began investigating a criminal organization based in Nigeria that operated several online fraud schemes, including romance scams, targeting elderly women in the United States. Over the course of this investigation, the FBI identified a Nigeria-based black market currency exchange network that offered U.S. dollar deposits into U.S.-based bank accounts in exchange for Nigerian currency provided in Nigeria. The U.S. dollars transmitted by the network were the proceeds of financial fraud schemes perpetrated against at least two dozen victims in the United States.

Between 2012 and 2020, Blount’s two Nigerian distributors used the unlicensed money transmitting business to convert Nigerian naira to U.S. dollars which were used to pay for Blount products. In March 2012, the U.S. Secret Service notified Blount’s then-general counsel that the agency was preparing to seize one of the Nigerian distributor’s bank accounts, because it was allegedly being funded primarily by fraud and the proceeds were being used to pay Blount.

From November 2016 to December 2017, Blount credited more than $974,000 in deposits to the distributor. Those deposits originated from sources including individuals, many of whom the FBI later assessed were women in the United States over the age of 60 who had been the victim of romance fraud schemes; various business LLCs; and other anonymous cash depositors with no logical business relationship or established history with the distributor or Blount. Two of the deposits were made by an individual who believed the money would purchase artwork for someone they had met on a dating website. Another payment was made by a person residing in Beaverton, Oregon at the request of someone on a dating website.

Between April 2017 and February 2018, unbeknownst to Blount, a second Nigerian distributor received more than $652,000 to its U.S.-based bank account that the FBI linked to fraud. The distributor used these funds, which it received from multiple individuals in their late 60s, to pay Blount. As with the fraud victims associated with the first Nigerian distributor, the individuals who made these payments had no logical business relationship with Blount and several later reported being the victim of romance scams or other online fraud schemes.

In January 2022, the FBI notified Oregon Tool of its investigations involving the company and provided details of the fraudulent deposits made by its Nigerian distributors. Prior to this notification, Oregon Tool had, in November 2021, terminated its relationship with one of the two distributors. After the FBI’s notification, the company promptly terminated its association with the second.

Oregon Tool cooperated fully with the government’s investigation of this matter and, under new ownership, has implemented policies to prevent its future association with unlicensed money transmitting businesses. Among other remedial measures, the company has adopted a global anti-money laundering policy restricting third-party payments and an enhanced training program for relevant personnel. None of the senior executives implicated in the improper activity by Blount Inc. are currently employed by Oregon Tool.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI intend to file a civil forfeiture complaint against the $1.7 million paid by Oregon Tool and will seek to distribute those funds to victims of this fraud scheme.

This case was investigated by the FBI. The terms of this non-prosecution agreement were negotiated by the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. The related financial forfeitures are being handled by the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

Oregon Parks and Recreation To Discuss Drone Rules And Maps

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) will livestream a virtual meeting Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. to present draft drone take-off and landing classification criteria to be used in future park drone use maps. The agency will then invite the public to share their views on the criteria from Oct. 23 through 5 p.m. on Dec. 29.

The meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube for the public here.

Attendees who want to ask questions during the Q&A portion of the meeting must register beforehand here.

Although the formal rulemaking process for drone take-off and landing began in 2021, the agency temporarily stopped in April 2022 to form a work group and explore the matter in more detail.

The work group included various partners including conservation groups, drone users, state and federal agencies and met from June 2022 through the summer of 2023.

OPRD’s region resource and Geographic Information Services (GIS) staff, alongside park managers reviewed the draft criteria and applied them to three sample areas, one from each region of state parks.

Feedback will be reviewed by agency staff and the work group as part of a final report to the OPRD Director Lisa Sumption, who will then decide whether to direct staff to resume public administrative rulemaking or do more work on the proposals.

Individuals who require special accommodations to view the meetings should contact Jo Niehaus at least three days in advance of the meeting at 503-580-9210 or jo.niehaus@oprd.oregon.gov .