Healthcare Open Enrollment Period Now Active; Are You Covered?

PORTLAND, OR — Kicking off the annual health coverage open enrollment period, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Thursday reminded residents to check whether they're eligible for health insurance financial help. Whether covered by the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) or paying privately for insurance, the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace can help residents navigate and enroll in coverage through HealthCare.gov and determine whether folks are eligible for assistance to maintain affordable healthcare.

According to state officials, more than 70 percent of Oregon residents who used HealthCare.gov to enroll in an insurance plan in 2017 also qualified to receive financial assistance to help pay for that coverage. And 80 percent of residents who are currently uninsured actually qualify for OHP and/or financial assistance, Brown said at a health coverage kickoff event at Asian Health & Service Center on Southwest Foster Road in Portland.

"I want to take us from 94 to 99 percent access to health care for adults," Brown said. "The marketplace is an important way to get there."

Using the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, which helps facilitate resident signups through the federally-managed HealthCare.gov site, Oregonians can find cheaper insurance options and learn whether they meet the criteria for financial assistance. In Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties, residents can choose from 38 different plans provided by five different insurers.

Options vary across the state, however. Click here to see how many options are available in your county.

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While OHP enrollment is open year round, the now-open six-week enrollment period applies specifically to folks who don't have insurance provided either through their employers or other public programs. Until Dec. 15, Oregonians can visit OregonHealthCare.gov to see if they qualify for assistance.

"We train and support community groups and insurance agents all around the state who are ready to help people — help them fill out their application, help them understand their options, help them pick a plan,” Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services Director Cameron Smith said in a statement.

For coverage in 2019, an individual that makes less than $48,560 per year, and families of four that make less than $100,400, are eligible for assistance. Oregonians who qualified in 2018 reportedly averaged $138 premiums. Click here for an eligibility chart based on household size and annual income.

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