Oregon expands health insurance to all residents, regardless of age or immigration status

(JULY 14, 2023) Starting from July 1, 2023, anyone living in Oregon can qualify for the full Oregon Health Plan (OHP) benefits, regardless of their age or where they were born. This means that even if someone is not from Oregon or doesn't have the right paperwork, they can still get the same healthcare benefits as everyone else. This became possible because of a law called House Bill 3352. The new law created a program called "Cover All People" that is now known as "Healthier Oregon." This program allows more people to qualify for the OHP.

To be eligible for the OHP, people just need to live in Oregon and meet certain income and other criteria. This means that starting from July 1, 2023, a person who is 45 years old and doesn't have the right immigration status can still get the full OHP benefits. Before this, they could only receive emergency Medicaid benefits, but now they can get the same benefits as everyone else. 

The money comes from the state because federal programs require documentation of immigration status. OHP, on the other hand, does not affect immigration status or require the same documentation.

“When it comes to health, we’re all connected,” said Dave Baden, who is the interim director of Oregon Health Authority. “Expanded health coverage through the full implementation of Healthier Oregon will keep more people and families healthy, which will reduce health costs and risks for every community.”

For more information, visit https://www.oregon.gov/oha/hsd/ohp/pages/healthier-oregon.aspx (This web page includes summaries in many different languages.)