COVID Emergency funding coming to end; OR Health Plan Coverage, food benefits to change
Federal funding to stabilize people during the COVID-19 public health emergency is set to run out. While Pre-pandemic benefits will remain intact in Oregon, it is recommended that locals become proactive in updating their information to secure their health coverage and or food benefits.
Sue Ann Arguelles with SHIBA, Rosa, and Shanon Saldivar with Saldivar Insurance and Bianca Valdovinos and Flavia Finn with One Community Health are assisting locals with health benefits through the Oregon Health Plan as it can be difficult to understand at times. The group seen here was holding one-on-one assistance with community members back in November.
By Tom Peterson
Locals enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan are advised to keep their eyes on the mail in months to come and update their contact information as renewals in the program are set to begin on April 11, 2023.
Statewide, about 1.4 million people are enrolled in the program, and it is estimated that some 300,000 will no longer qualify for the health plan. This also affects people who were on the Oregon Health Plan and became Medicare-eligible since March 2020.
Keeping your information updated is the best guard against increasing premiums and keeping costs in check.
The Oregon Health Plan is Oregon's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program.
It provides health care coverage for working families, children, pregnant adults, single adults and seniors with affordable rates.
Why are renewals occurring?
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the federal government extended healthcare coverage through the Oregon Health Plan regardless of a person’s changing circumstances.
But that extension is currently set to expire on April. 11, 2023.
Many people could either have to reapply or find health coverage through their work or on their own.
Locally, that could mean more than 3,000 people will need to make moves to keep insurance coverage, said Shanon Saldivar with Saldivar Insurance at 515 A, E. 2nd St., The Dalles.
Her agency and One Community Health are two of the local entities that have received grants to be able to offer assistance to those needing to find or update their health plans.
Saldivar said the Affordable Care Act will continue to make health care coverage affordable, noting there have been many changes to who can qualify for help with premiums. Last year, 7 out of 10 people qualified for help with their premiums. And costs can be incredibly low depending on circumstances. They start at $1 a month and go up from there.
Saldivar noted it was important for people to update their information with the Oregon Health Plan, as most people have multiple career changes to flex with the modern economy.
“We need to plan as a community,” Saldivar said, noting it will take efforts from MCMC, One Community Health and her office to provide enough service for those who could lose out on health insurance.
More on Food and Health changes
From the Oregon Department of Health and Services:
During the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the federal government also extended long-term services and support, providing extra food benefits.
Since April 2020, most people in Oregon who receive food benefits through SNAP have also received these extra emergency food benefits each month on their electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card. These emergency food benefits were provided to help people who receive SNAP get enough healthy food for themselves and their families during the COVID-19 emergency.
March 2023 will be the first month since April 2020 that most people on SNAP in Oregon will only receive their regular SNAP food benefits.
Need to know
While extra benefits will go away, SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program households will continue to receive their regular SNAP benefits after February.
On October 1, 2021, regular SNAP food benefits were permanently increased by an average of about $36 per person, per month.
In January 2022, Oregon increased the income eligibility limit for SNAP up to 200% of the federal poverty level. This means that an individual with up to $2,265 in income per month, or a family of three with up to $3,838 in income per month, are eligible to receive SNAP food benefits.
“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic we have had the opportunity to provide these emergency food benefits to most SNAP households in Oregon,” said ODHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht. “We know that many rely on these additional emergency food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families. As Oregon continues to be impacted by COVID-19, we know that without these emergency food benefits some in Oregon may experience hardship and hunger. We encourage them to contact our partners at 211, Oregon Food Bank and their local Community Action Agency for support during this difficult time.”
Oregonians who receive SNAP are encouraged to prepare for this change in the food benefits they receive.
Find out what your regular SNAP benefit amount is.
Knowing your regular SNAP benefit can help you budget. You can check how much your regular benefits are by accessing your EBT account online at www.ebtEDGE.com or by logging into your ONE account at Benefits.oregon.gov.
Questions about your SNAP benefits can also be directed to the ONE Customer Service Center at 1-800-699-9075. The ONE Customer Service Center is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
Regular SNAP benefits are added to EBT cards between the first and the ninth day of the month.
Tell ODHS if your income has decreased.
A decrease in your income may mean you qualify for more SNAP benefits.
Tell ODHS if there are more people in your household.
An increase in the number of people in your household may increase your SNAP food benefits.
You can report changes to your income or household in many ways:
Online at: Benefits.oregon.gov
By mail at: ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem, OR 97309
By fax at: 503-378-5628
By phone at: 1-800-699-9075 or TTY 711, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
Know what food supports are in your area.
There are many different organizations providing food support in communities throughout Oregon:
Find food resources in your community: needfood.oregon.gov
Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: www.caporegon.org/find-services/
Why emergency food benefits are ending after February 2023
The federal government has approved emergency allotments every month since April 2020. The 2023 federal spending bill ended funding for emergency allotments. Due to this change, the federal government will no longer allow Oregon to issue emergency food benefits after February 2023.
This means that February 2023 is the final month that ODHS is allowed to provide these emergency food benefits to people receiving SNAP in Oregon.
These emergency food benefits have provided people in Oregon with $1.9 billion in additional money for food since April 2020.
More information about emergency allotments is available at https://www.oregon.gov/dhs/ASSISTANCE/FOOD-BENEFITS/Pages/About-SNAP.aspx.
Resources to help meet basic needs
Find food resources in your community: needfood.oregon.gov
Find a food pantry: foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org
Learn about government programs and community resources for older adults and people with disabilities: Aging and Disability Resource Connection of Oregon at 1-855-673-2372 or www.adrcoforegon.org.
Dial 2-1-1, or text your zip code to 898-211, www.211info.org
Find local resources and support by contacting your local Community Action Agency: www.caporegon.org/find-services/
Administered by ODHS, SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to approximately 1 million eligible, families and individuals with low incomes in Oregon, including many older adults and people with disabilities. Oregonians in need can apply for benefits, including SNAP, child care, cash assistance and Medicaid. Learn more at https://govstatus.egov.com/or-dhs-benefits. For local resources in your area, such as food or shelter, please call 2-1-1 or reach out to the state’s Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) at 1-855-ORE-ADRC or 1-855-673-2372.
