Oregon

Biden team’s tightrope: reining in rogue Obamacare agents without slowing enrollment • Oregon Capital Chronicle

Published

2 years ago

May 13, 2024

Biden team’s tightrope: reining in rogue Obamacare agents without slowing enrollment • Oregon Capital Chronicle

President Joe Biden counts among his accomplishments the record-high number of people, more than 21 million, who enrolled in Obamacare plans this year. Behind the scenes, however, federal regulators are contending with a problem that affects people’s coverage: rogue brokers who have signed people up for Affordable Care Act plans, or switched them into new ones, without their permission.

Fighting the problem presents tension for the administration: how to thwart the bad actors without affecting ACA sign-ups.

Complaints about these unauthorized changes — which can cause affected policyholders to lose access to medical care, pay higher deductibles or even incur surprise tax bills — rose sharply in recent months, according to brokers who contacted KFF Health News and federal workers who asked not to be identified.

Ronnell Nolan, president and CEO of the trade association Health Agents for America, said her group has suggested to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that it add two-factor authentication to healthcare.gov or send text alerts to consumers if an agent tries to access their accounts. But the agency told her it doesn’t always have up-to-date contact information.

“We’ve given them a whole host of ideas,” she said. “They say, ‘Be careful what you wish for.’ But we don’t mind going an extra step if you can stop this fraud and abuse, because clients are being hurt.”

Some consumers are pursued when they respond to misleading social media marketing ads promising government subsidies, but most have no idea how they fell victim to plan-switching. Problems seem concentrated in the 32 states using the federal exchange.

Federal regulators have declined to say how many complaints about unauthorized sign-ups or plan switches they’ve received, or how many insurance agents they’ve sanctioned as a result. But the problem is big enough that CMS says it’s working on technological and regulatory solutions. Affected consumers and agents have filed a civil lawsuit in federal district court in Florida against private-sector firms allegedly involved in unauthorized switching schemes.

Biden has pushed hard to make permanent the enhanced subsidies first put in place during the covid pandemic that, along with other steps including increased federal funding for outreach, helped fuel the strong enrollment growth. Biden contrasts his support for the ACA with the stance of former President Donald Trump, who supported attempts to repeal most of the law and presided over funding cuts and declining enrollment.

Most proposed solutions to the rogue-agent problem involve making it more difficult for agents to access policyholder information or requiring wider use of identity questions tied to enrollees’ credit history. The latter could be stumbling blocks for low-income people or those with limited financial records, said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.

“That is the knife edge the administration has to walk,” said Corlette, “protecting consumers from fraudulent behavior while at the same time making sure there aren’t too many barriers.”

Jeff Wu, acting director of the Center for Consumer Information & Insurance Oversight, said in a statement that the agency is evaluating options on such factors as how effective they would be, their impact on consumers’ ability to enroll, and how fast they could be implemented.

The agency is also working closely, he wrote, with insurance companies, state insurance departments, and law enforcement “so that agents violating CMS rules or committing fraud face consequences.” And it is reaching out to states that run their own ACA markets for ideas.

That’s because Washington, D.C., and the 18 states that run their own ACA marketplaces have reported far fewer complaints about unauthorized enrollment and plan-switching. Most include layers of security in addition to those the federal marketplace has in place — some use two-factor authentication — before agents can access policyholder information.

California, for example, allows consumers to designate an agent and to “log in and add or remove an agent at will,” said Robert Kingston, interim director of outreach and sales for Covered California, the state’s ACA marketplace. The state can also send consumers a one-time passcode to share with an agent of their choice. Consumers in Colorado and Pennsylvania can similarly designate specific agents to access their accounts.

By contrast, agents can more easily access policyholder information when using private-sector websites that link them to the federal ACA market — all they need is a person’s name, date of birth, and state of residence — to enroll them or switch their coverage.

CMS has approved dozens of such “enhanced direct enrollment” websites run by private companies, which are designed to make it easier and faster for agents certified to offer insurance through healthcare.gov.

Rules went into effect last June requiring agents to get written or recorded consent from clients before enrolling them or changing their coverage, but brokers say they’re rarely asked to produce the documentation. If CMS makes changes to healthcare.gov — such as adding passcodes, as California has — it would need to require all alternative-enrollment partners to do the same.

The largest is San Francisco-based HealthSherpa, which assisted 52% of active enrollments nationally for this year, said CEO George Kalogeropoulos.

The company has a 10-person fraud investigation team, he said, which has seen “a significant spike in concerns about unauthorized switching.” They report problems to state insurance departments, insurance carriers, and federal regulators “and refer consumers to advocates on our team to make sure their plans are corrected.”

Solutions must be “targeted,” he said. “The issue with some of the solutions proposed is it negatively impacts the ability of all consumers to get enrolled.”

Most people who sign up for ACA plans are aided by agents or platforms like HealthSherpa, rather than doing it themselves or seeking help from nonprofit organizations. Brokers don’t charge consumers; instead, they receive commissions from insurers participating in state and federal marketplaces for each person they enroll in a plan.

While California officials say their additional layers of authentication have not noticeably affected enrollment numbers, the state’s recent enrollment growth has been slower than in states served by healthcare.gov.

Still, Covered California’s Kingston pointed to a decreased number of uninsured people in the state. In 2014, when much of the ACA was implemented, 12.5% of Californians were uninsured, falling to 6.5% in 2022, according to data compiled by KFF. That year, the share of people uninsured nationwide was 8%.

Corlette said insurers have a role to play, as do states and CMS.

“Are there algorithms that can say, ‘This is a broker with outlier behavior’?” Insurance companies could then withhold commissions “until they can figure it out,” she said.

Kelley Schultz, vice president of commercial policy at AHIP, the trade association for large insurance companies, said sharing more information from the government marketplace about which policies are being switched could help insurers spot patterns.

CMS could also set limits on plan switches, as there is generally no legitimate need for multiple changes in a given month, Schultz said.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.

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Oregon

New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise

Published

4 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise

Data released by the Oregon Health Authority this week suggests Oregonians are getting hurt on electric scooters more every year.

In recent years, according to OHA, an “e-scooter-specific code” was developed for health care tracking purposes.

From 2021 to 2024, annual injury reports under this code from Oregon hospitals and emergency departments jumped from 211 to 418.

And in just the first nine months of 2025, there had been 509 such reports.

“These injuries are not minor scrapes,” said Dagan Wright, an OHA epidemiologist, in a written statement. “They often involve head injuries, broken bones, and other serious trauma that requires emergency or inpatient care.”

The city of Portland signed contracts with three e-scooter rental companies in 2018, as the transportation craze spread across the country. But e-scooter injury diagnosis codes are relatively new in health care reporting, Wright said in the OHA statement.

“While the overall numbers remain smaller than for other transportation-related injuries, the rapid increase over a short period of time is a clear safety signal,” OHA added.

The agency highlighted the story of Portland e-scooter commuter Daniel Pflieger, who it says was riding a scooter home when he reportedly slid on ice. He bruised several ribs.

Sometimes outcomes are worse. OHA identified 17 deaths linked to electric or motorized scooters since 2018, and seven of those occurred in 2025.

OHA says that e-bikes raise many similar safety concerns as e-scooters. The first full year for which e-bike injuries were coded for reporting was 2023. State data shows 392 reported e-bike injuries that year, 683 in 2024, and 760 in the first nine months of 2025.

“Injuries involving e-bikes and e-scooters share common risk factors—speed, lack of helmet use, roadway design, and interactions with motor vehicles,” Wright said.

Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise (Source: Oregon Health Authority)

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Oregon

Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue

Published

16 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Oregon women’s basketball playing for March Madness seeding vs. Purdue

At times, the Oregon women’s basketball team has certainly made things much harder on themselves than it needs to be. The team has also produced some miraculous comeback victories, putting itself in position to make women’s March Madness for the second straight season.

March 1, in their final regular season game, the Ducks (20-11, 8-10 Big Ten) finished on the wrong end of yet another tight game to Washington, 70-69. It’s the second time this season Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, but ended up losing to the Huskies (20-9, 10-8).

Those aren’t the only times Oregon has come back from a double-digit deficit, like it did in wins vs. Nebraska and USC. The No. 11-seed Ducks are hoping they won’t need heroics in a Big Ten tournament first-round game against No. 14 Purdue this Wednesday.

Watch Oregon basketball on Peacock

“I think our biggest weakness this year has been our inconsistency,” coach Kelly Graves said, “something we’ve battled all year. The great thing is our kids know, regardless of the score, we’ve got a chance. We’ll make it a game at some point. As a coach, it drives you nuts. Hopefully we can figure it out and play more consistent basketball.”

Oregon’s volatility has seen it earn three double-digit comeback wins this year, but also blow several games in the final moments.

Against Wisconsin, the Ducks held a 6-point lead with less than a minute remaining, but lost in overtime. Against Illinois, Oregon held a 21-point lead at halftime, blew it in the third quarter, trailed by eight with minutes to play and somehow eked out a win.

That makes UO somewhat of a wild card heading into the conference tournament this week at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“It’s definitely (been) a rollercoaster,” guard Katie Fiso said. “A lot of highs and a lot of lows. But one thing that I try to see through all games is our grittiness and our toughness. One thing that stays consistent throughout the season is our toughness and our grittiness. The game isn’t over until the last bell rings.”

The Ducks will be taking on a Boilermakers (13-16, 5-13) team that has struggled against most of the top competition in the league, but played Oregon tight in a Feb. 25 Ducks win.

Graves said when the Ducks went throughout the postgame handshake line after, the Boilermakers felt like their season would end after the regular season. Thanks to some upsets, Purdue is in the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 14 seed.

“We’re playing a team that probably feels like it’s playing with house money,” Graves said. “We’ve got to pick ourselves back up and get it done.”

What channel is Oregon vs. Purdue on today in Big Ten tournament?

Oregon will tip off vs. Purdue on Peacock, with no TV option to watch the game.

Oregon vs. Purdue start time in Big Ten tournament

Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: Around 5:30 p.m. PT

Oregon and Purdue will play around 5:30 p.m. PT at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The first game of the day begins at 12:30 p.m. PT, with the next game 25 minutes after the first game ends, and so on. The Ducks play in the third game of the day, so no official tip time is listed.

Oregon women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Oregon’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

Feb. 15	Washington 51, Oregon 43
Feb. 19	Oregon 80, Nebraska 76
Feb. 22	Indiana 72, Oregon 65
Feb. 25	Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1	Washington 70, Oregon 69
March 4	Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)

Purdue women’s basketball schedule 2025-26

Below are the past five games of Purdue’s 2025-26 basketball season. For the full schedule, click here.

Feb. 14	Purdue 72, Rutgers 57
Feb. 19	Iowa 83, Purdue 74
Feb. 22	Maryland 99, Purdue 66
Feb. 25	Oregon 71, Purdue 65
March 1	Purdue 67, Northwestern 62
March 4	Oregon vs. Purdue (Big Ten tournament)

Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football and women’s basketball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com.

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Oregon

Oregon lawmakers advance one-year moratorium on tax breaks for data centers

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Oregon lawmakers advance one-year moratorium on tax breaks for data centers

Written by Alma McCarty & KGW:

SALEM, Oregon — In the final week of Oregon’s legislative short session, lawmakers in Salem discussed regulating data centers — specifically, placing a one-year moratorium on certain tax breaks.

Governor Tina Kotek has been looking to expand the state’s enterprise zone program, which is intended to grow Oregon companies and attract new ones. Businesses that locate or expand within designated zones can qualify for property tax exemptions on new investments if they meet eligibility requirements.

However, some advocates argue that extending incentives to data centers may not be sustainable long term.

“Data centers have been around for a while,” said Kelly Campbell, policy director for Columbia Riverkeeper. “Data centers are getting bigger and bigger. Some of these new AI hyperscale data centers are exponentially bigger than those tiny ones. They’re really just using a lot of energy, a lot of water.”

However, some advocates argue that extending incentives to data centers may not be sustainable long term.

Last week, Columbia Riverkeeper released a report examining data centers operating or planned along the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington.

“I think the question becomes, do we want to stick to our climate goals of getting to 100% renewable? Or do we want to have these big, mega data centers owned by big tech companies — some of the wealthiest corporations in the world — getting to use whatever energy they want? We would say, no, that’s not OK,” Campbell said.

On Monday, lawmakers amended an economic incentives bill to block new data centers from qualifying for certain tax breaks for one year.

“I think this moratorium is a pretty short pause to give the advisory council time and space to do their work,” said Rep. Nancy Nathanson, D-Eugene, during a subcommittee meeting Monday morning.

The Data Center Advisory Committee, convened by Kotek, held its first meeting Friday. The group’s goal is to develop policy recommendations addressing the rapid growth of data centers.

“There are some businesses that will need them, but freestanding data centers, the way we’ve been growing in the state, is not sustainable,” the Governor told reporters during a press conference last week.

On Monday, her office sent KGW a statement regarding the moratorium:

“The moratorium will address immediate concerns and also allow for the Governor’s Data Center Advisory Committee to develop recommendations to strategically pursue economic development opportunities while ensuring utility costs, infrastructure investments, and environmental impacts remain sustainable and equitable for all residents.”

Supporters of data center growth, particularly in rural communities, also spoke during work sessions.

“This moratorium will have a disparate impact on communities east of the Cascades — communities like Prineville, Hermiston and Redmond that have leveraged enterprise zones and data centers to bring hundreds of living-wage jobs to their communities,” said Alexandra Ring, a lobbyist for the League of Oregon Cities.

“While data centers may be seen as a nuisance or inconvenient in Washington County, they are not in Crook County. They are not in Morrow County, in Umatilla County,” said Sen. Mark McLane, who represents several Eastern Oregon counties, including Baker, Crook, Grant and Harney.

Even if the House and Senate ultimately approve the moratorium, it would apply only to new data centers — not those that already receive tax breaks or projects currently underway.

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