Meanwhile, Oregon's Basic Health Plan program has officially launched for up to 100,000 residents!

Last fall Oregon moved to the next step on their Basic Health Plan program (via Oregon Public Broadcasting):

Oregon becomes 3rd in nation to seek federal approval for a basic health program

A group of volunteer advisors to the Oregon Health Authority has voted Tuesday to make the state the third in the nation to seek federal approval for a basic health program.

...The Oregon Health Policy Board voted unanimously to approve Oregon’s blueprint application. It was the last step in a lengthy policy-making process needed for state approval of the plan after a task force last year recommended moving forward with it.

It’s the latest in a series of incremental steps policymakers have taken that move the state in the direction of universal health coverage, including allowing all children in Oregon who qualify for Medicaid to stay enrolled without annual re-evaluations until their 6th birthday, allowing adults to stay enrolled for two years at a time, and extending coverage to undocumented youths and adults.

The basic health program, set to launch July 2024, will cover people who earn 138% to 200% of the federal poverty level.

In Oregon, about 100,000 people will qualify, the state health authority estimates.

Of course, the enhanced ACA subsidies provided by the Inflation Reduction Act are currently scheduled to sunset at the end of 2025; if they're allowed to expire, that will also mean considerably less federal funding available for the BHP program as well.

As noted, the "Oregon Health Plan Bridge Program" (as they're calling it for whatever reason) officially launched on July 1st:

More than 100,000 Oregonians are expected to qualify for the new Oregon Health Plan Bridge program, which will make Oregon the third state in the nation to establish a Basic Health Program.

“The new OHP Bridge program continues Oregon’s long history of leading the nation in efforts to make health coverage accessible to everyone in Oregon,” said OHA Director Sejal Hathi. “It also advances our strategic plan to eliminate health inequities by 2030, by helping to expand access to affordable care for all and honoring our government-to-government relationship with the Tribes.”

OHP Bridge is named after the program’s goal to “bridge” the health coverage gap between people who have health coverage under the traditional Oregon Health Plan and people who have marketplace coverage.

The program will cover medical, dental, and behavioral health care with no member costs – meaning no premiums, co-payments, coinsurance, or deductibles, OHA announced, adding, Oregon will be the first state to offer a Basic Health Program without out-of-pocket costs for members.

...There are several factors for Oregonians to qualify, including people who are 19 to 64-years-old, have an income between 138% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, have an eligible citizenship or immigration status, and if they do not have access to other affordable health insurance.

Minnesota has around 100,000 people enrolled in their BHP program (MinnesotaCare) this month, while New York's Essential Plan program had a whopping 1.37 million enrollees as of May. Assuming Oregon's program hits the 100K projection, that would bring total BHP enrollment across up to 1.57 million nationally.

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