Oregon Health Plan is the state’s insurance plan for low-income residents. Here are some answers to common questions about the plan in 2020. La Clinica’s staff can help answer other questions. Call 541-414-1189 or email benefitenrollment@laclinicahealth.org.
What is important to know about OHP right now? OHP stands for the Oregon Health Plan. It’s Oregon’s version of free health coverage for people who are living at a low income. Because of COVID-19, Oregon has made it easier to get and keep this insurance, and that’s something some people may not realize.
What’s different right now? The Oregon Health Plan offers insurance for most Oregonians living at low income levels and all children living in low-income families. If you already have OHP, during COVID-19 your benefits won’t end, even if your doctor’s office or dentist’s office closes.
If you have lost your private insurance and would like OHP, it’s important for you to know that during COVID-19 you will not be asked to prove you have a low income—that’s usually one step in the process. Right now, you will just be asked to say what your income is. Also, it doesn’t matter right now if you have received stimulus payments from the government—this will not affect your ability to get health coverage through OHP. The same is true for some unemployment payments.
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. It’s a great way to take care of the health needs you have now and to prevent health issues in the future.
Who is eligible for this? Most Oregonians living at low incomes are eligible, and all children living at low incomes are eligible. Oregonians who are undocumented immigrants are not eligible for OHP unless they are pregnant.
What income levels are included in this? This is based on the federal poverty level. Adults can earn up to 138 percent of that and be eligible, and kids are eligible if they live in families who earn up to 305% of this level.
As an example, adults would be eligible if they live in a family of four earning up to $3,013 each month, and kids would be eligible if they live in a family of four earning up to $6,660 each month.
How can I apply for this? You can apply online by googling “apply for Oregon Health Plan” or by calling 800-699-9075, or you can get help from a community partner like La Clinica. All our health centers have employees who are trained to help people apply for OHP in Spanish and English. This is a free service that’s open to anyone in the community, even people who are not La Clinica patients. You can call us at 541-414-1189 to learn more or to make an appointment.
Is it safe for me to go into a health center to do this right now? La Clinica is doing a lot to keep people safe when they come to our health centers. We can help you with OHP by phone or video meeting if that’s better for you than meeting in person.
Does signing up for OHP have the potential to affect my immigration status? For most people, no. You may have heard about the use of OHP and an issue called public charge. When someone applies for lawful permanent resident status (also known as getting a “green card”), the government considers the public benefits that the person uses when deciding whether to approve the application. OHP can be one factor in this for people applying for lawful permanent resident status. It’s a complicated issue, so if you think you could be affected, we recommend talking to a lawyer.