Ten years ago, during the very first ACA Open Enrollment Period, Oregon was one of 15 states which attempted to operate their own fully state-based marketplace SBM) under the new law, calling it "Cover Oregon."
Cover Oregon poised to switch to federal insurance exchange
Alex Pettit, the state's top information-technology official, recommended Cover Oregon move to the federal exchange at an advisory committee meeting Thursday.
Oregon should pull the plug on the beleaguered Cover Oregon health insurance exchange and switch to the federal exchange, a technological advisory committee recommended Thursday.
The move is considered almost certain to be adopted by the Cover Oregon board, which meets Friday.
In Oregon, Democrats passed a bill in March to establish a basic health program, the details of which are being ironed out by a task force that began meeting this week. In Kentucky, Republicans approved $4.5 million in state funds this spring to set up a basic health program, which was signed into law by the state’s Democratic governor. An estimated 85,000 Oregonians and at least 37,000 Kentuckians will be eligible to enroll in the plans as soon as next year.
Salem – Oregon consumers can get a first look at requested rates for 2024 individual and small group health insurance plans, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) announced today.
In the individual market, six companies submitted rate change requests ranging from an average 3.5 percent to 8.5 percent increase, for a weighted average increase of 6.2 percent. That average increase is slightly lower than last year's requested weighted average increase of 6.7 percent.
In the small group market, eight companies submitted rate change requests ranging from an average 0.8 percent to 12.4 percentincrease, for a weighted average increase of 8.1 percent, which is higher than last year's requested 6.9 percent average increase.
In Oregon, Democrats passed a bill in March to establish a basic health program, the details of which are being ironed out by a task force that began meeting this week. In Kentucky, Republicans approved $4.5 million in state funds this spring to set up a basic health program, which was signed into law by the state’s Democratic governor. An estimated 85,000 Oregonians and at least 37,000 Kentuckians will be eligible to enroll in the plans as soon as next year.
So, I've been combing through a mountain of healthcare & health insurance-related legislation which has been introduced by various state legislators around the country, and this one caught my eye:
OR HB3326
Relating to changing the name of the Oregon Health Authority; declaring an emergency.
The bill summary doesn't provide much more detail:
Changes name of Oregon Health Authority to Oregon Department of Health. Makes conforming changes. Becomes operative on January 1, 2024. Declares emergency, effective on passage.
OK, so it changes the name of the health department and...declares an emergency relating to that? Huh? What?
It was introduced about a month ago by GOP state representative Werner Reschke. It doesn't have any other cosponsors from either party so far.
I decided to take a look at the actual legislative text.
Measure 111: Enshrine the Right to Health Care in the State Constitution
Yes: 50.6%
No: 49.4%
>95% of votes in
Notwithstanding the slim possibility of it ultimately being defeated (Yes is up by around 20,000 votes as of this morning), it's important to understand that Measure 111 doesn't actually enact a specific healthcare coverage program. Here's an explainer of what it does do from More Perfect Union (published prior to it passing):
Salem – People who purchase their own health insurance, as well as those in the small group market, can view the final rate decisions for the 2023 health insurance plans, which have been released by the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation. The division reviews and approves rates through a detailed and transparent process before they can be charged to policyholders.
The division conducted a rigorous review, including holding public hearings and taking public comments, to reach the final decisions. The division published preliminary decisions in July before the public hearings. In the public hearings, members of the public, health insurance companies, and the division have the opportunity to further review and analyze the preliminary decisions.
Initiatives will ensure children in Oregon have continuous Medicaid coverage until the age of six, and expand access to coverage and address nutrition and housing needs in Massachusetts and Oregon
Approvals of the initiatives come during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, taking direct action on the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Strategy to end hunger, reduce diet-related diseases, and eliminate health inequities
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), approved groundbreaking Medicaid section 1115 demonstration initiatives in Massachusetts and Oregon. Both demonstrations aim to test improvements in coverage, access, and quality with innovative approaches to ensure more eligible people retain their Medicaid coverage, including by approving Oregon’s demonstration to keep children enrolled in Medicaid up to age six — preventing gaps in coverage that can cause children to lose access to needed care in their formative early years.
Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced approval of the Oregon Health Authority’s proposal to cover community-based mobile crisis intervention services in Medicaid. Made possible by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, the new first-in-the-nation Medicaid State plan amendment will allow Oregon to provide community-based stabilization services to individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance use crises throughout the state by connecting them to a behavioral health specialist 24 hours per day, every day of the year.