The state is the third nationwide to expand coverage to people who earn more than limits set by the federal government
By Lynne Terry, Oregon Capital Chronicle
After two years of planning, Oregon is officially expanding its Medicaid program to give tens of thousands of more people access to the free health insurance program.
The Oregon Health Authority announced on July 1 the launch of its OHP Bridge Plan to those who earn more than the federal limits for traditional Medicaid. The Oregon Health Plan, the state’s version of Medicaid, currently covers 1.4 million Oregonians who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level, or nearly $21,000 a year for one person or more than $43,000 a year for a family of four.
The OHP Bridge is extending Medicaid benefits to those who earn up to 200% of the federal poverty level. That means that individuals who earn about $30,000 a year or families of four who earn $62,400 a year will qualify.
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Oregon Health Authority officials expect the plan to cover 100,000 Oregonians by 2027.
Dr. Sejal Hathi, director of the health authority, said in a news conference the plan marks a “significant milestone” in Oregon and will help eliminate health inequities, a health authority goal.
“We know that these higher rates of coverage are associated with better health outcomes, with greater health care access and with fewer health inequities, and we want to keep it that way,” Hathi said.
Who qualifies People can apply for OHP Bridge coverage by going to ONE.Oregon.gov or HealthCare.gov. People in Oregon will qualify for OHP Bridge if they: Are 19 to 64 years old Have an income between 138% and 200% of the federal poverty level Are a U.S. citizen or have eligible immigration status Do not have access to other affordable health insurance The income limits change every March. For more information, go here: ohp.oregon.gov/Bridge.
Oregon is the third state nationwide — after Minnesota and New York — to expand Medicaid to beyond the traditional federal income limits. But it’s the first state to offer that coverage at no cost, without monthly premiums or co-pays.
“We know that cost sharing in any form, whether that’s premiums or co-pays, is a barrier to care for people in this income range, and were we to have either or both of those, we would actually see decreased access to care, which is counterproductive for the goals of the state,” said state Sen. Elizabeth Steiner, a medical doctor and one of the lawmakers who developed the bridge plan.
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Like those on Medicaid, people who qualify for the bridge plan will enjoy free medical, dental and mental health care along with some other benefits, such as transportation to medical appointments.
“This means that more people will be able to get the diagnoses, treatment and other services they need, preventing delays and care that nearly 300,000 Oregonians otherwise report due to costs,” Hathi said.
Gil Muñoz, chief executive officer of Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, which serves many Medicaid patients in Forest Grove, said during the news conference that the plan is a win for working families who have a tough time paying for housing, food, transportation and child care. He said it’s also a boon for providers to work with lower-income families to get them diagnostic services, specialist care and hospital treatment that they need.
“It eases the path to better health and better prevention for these families,” Muñoz said.
Federal approval
Oregon won approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to offer the plan under a Medicaid waiver. That approval means that the federal government will pay much of the cost of the plan, diverting money that it would normally pay in subsidies to people who otherwise would buy health insurance on the federal marketplace. The state will pay the remaining cost.
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Under traditional Medicaid, the federal government picks up about 60% of the cost, and Oregon pays the rest. Payments for the bridge plan will work differently, with the federal government depositing money into an account and the state reconciling that later. Erica Heartquist, a health authority spokeswoman, said the state estimates that Oregon will receive about $500 million in federal revenue to cover an average of 65,000 members per month over the next 12 months. The state is likely to spend $10 million to administer the program and cover costs not paid for by federal funds.
Health officials say keeping people covered is cheaper in the end because they take care of basic problems early or even before they start by regularly seeing a primary care provider and receiving preventive care, like cancer screenings and blood tests that track cholesterol and diabetes risk. Those without insurance often wait until a health problem worsens until they’re severely ill and care is more expensive or seek treatment in an emergency room, which is the most expensive kind of care and drives up overall health care costs.
“The basic health plan, OHP Bridge, is a great deal for Oregon taxpayers,” Hathi said.
The plan has been in the works in Oregon for two years, following passage of House Bill 4035 during the 2022 session, which launched a task force to develop the plan. One of the plan’s biggest targets is to cover people who’ve recently lost Medicaid coverage. During the pandemic, the federal government provided extra benefits to states that kept people enrolled, regardless of any income changes. That meant that even when people’s income changed and they technically no longer met the limit, they enjoyed the free coverage.
But last spring, that changed when the federal government ended the program. Since then state officials have gone through the Medicaid rolls, making sure that everyone on Medicaid qualifies. In Oregon, more than 80% of those covered kept the insurance — one of the highest rates in the country, according to an analysis by KFF Health News.
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About 222,000 have fallen off, and state officials have pointed them to the federal marketplace to buy individual coverage. Hathi said that up to 30,000 people who stayed on Medicaid during the pandemic but no longer qualify will be moved to the bridge plan because they qualify under the bridge plan’s income limits.
Though they will enjoy most Medicaid benefits, those on the bridge plan will not qualify for long-term care, nor will they be able to obtain social services that were approved under a CMS waiver to improve the environment of Medicaid patients. Under the waiver, Oregon can offer climate support, such as a free air conditioner or air filter, to help patients cope with extreme weather events and wildfire smoke; housing support for up to six months; and nutrition education and food assistance.
Officials rolled out the climate benefit this spring, though fewer patients are getting air conditioners than originally hoped. The housing benefit is expected to be offered toward the end of the year and the food benefit after that.
Lynne Terry has more than 30 years of journalism experience, including a recent stint as editor of The Lund Report, a highly regarded health news site. She reported on health and food safety in her 18 years at The Oregonian, was a senior producer at Oregon Public Broadcasting and Paris correspondent for National Public Radio for nine years.
The University of Oregon’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to approve a $1.55 billion operating budget for the next fiscal year.
But they asked university leadership to return with an amended proposal by Dec. 15, when more details about future budget cuts will be known.
FILE — The Board of Trustees recently approved next year’s budget for the University of Oregon. The vote comes several weeks after the school’s president announced that he wants the university to reduce its annual budget as revenues and out-of-state enrollment decline.
Brian Bull / KLCC
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The vote comes several weeks after University of Oregon President Karl Scholz announced that he wants the school to reduce its annual budget by around $65 million.
At a trustees meeting Monday, Scholz said the estimated budget shortfall for next year is just around $23 million. But he said out-of-state enrollment is below historical norms for the second year in a row, and it’s unlikely to bounce back.
“One year can be an aberration. Two years is a pattern,” said Scholz. “And I believe we have to treat it as a new reality.”
Scholz said in May that discussions about the budget would happen over a six-month period. He said no final decisions about cuts would be made over this summer.
On Monday, UO Senate President Dyana Mason told trustees that the Senate had approved a new process to allow for community feedback in the cost-cutting process.
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Mason said the provost will work with the deans on budget proposals, finding “clear rationale” for why programs are considered for elimination.
The provost would then bring those proposals to the Senate Committee for Academic Modifications—which includes staff, faculty and students—for feedback.
Once the plans are nearly finalized, the Senate could then hold a period for public comment.
Mason told trustees that a six-month timeline is better than the three months that frustrated some staff last year, but she recommended taking however much time is necessary.
“The worst situation would be rushing forward to make decisions without appropriate evidence, data, feedback from the people that are most in the know about the impact on our students,” said Mason.
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UO’s Board of Trustees Chair Steve Holwerda said that every week that university delays the decisions could cost them millions of dollars.
Nathan Wilk is a reporter with the KLCC newsroom.This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
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Oregon’s juvenile justice system has been reshaped in recent years by a sweeping reform law that changed how the state handles minors accused of serious crimes.
Senate Bill 1008, which took effect in 2020, ended automatic transfers of juveniles into adult court and eliminated life without parole sentences for juveniles. The law also created “second-look” hearings and established parole eligibility after 15 years for certain offenders who committed crimes before turning 18.
To help explain the law and its impact, KVAL’s Frannie Pedersen put together a timeline video tracing the history of Senate Bill 1008, from the passage of Measure 11 in 1994 to the reforms that later reshaped Oregon’s juvenile justice system.
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The video breaks down how the law changed, why lawmakers pushed for reform, and how SB 1008 continues to influence Oregon’s justice system today. Viewers can watch the full video for a detailed timeline and explanation of the changes.
PORTLAND, Ore. — A New Jersey man was sentenced to federal prison last Friday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Mark T. Eager, 34, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“This defendant showed a blatant disregard for human life by trafficking fentanyl across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “My office will continue to pursue those who profit from poisoning our communities, and we will use every available resource and partnership to combat fentanyl trafficking and keep Oregonians safe.”
“This investigation brought together law enforcement agencies from across the nation,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents from Portland, Newark, and Houston contributed to the case, along with the Portland Police Bureau and HIDTA HIT officers, who were instrumental in identifying Eager. His 11-year sentence sends a clear message: no matter where you are in the country or the world, if you attempt to sell narcotics online to Americans, we will find you.”
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“Fentanyl trafficking poses a grave threat to communities across the United States, and Homeland Security Investigations is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks responsible,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. “This case demonstrates the power of interagency collaboration under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, leveraging resources from across the country to hold traffickers accountable and protect the American people. We will continue to pursue those who endanger lives through the distribution of dangerous synthetic opioids, and we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard our communities from the violence and instability caused by transnational criminal organizations.”
“By following this offender’s digital trail, Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners nationwide executed federal search warrants, dismantled an active dark web fentanyl packaging operation and recovered deadly amounts of fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, and a trove of electronic devices and packaging materials,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This case is a powerful example of how coordinated, data-driven investigations can disrupt dangerous networks and help protect our communities from lethal synthetic opioids.”
According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 2024, Eager and his co-conspirator sold fentanyl on the Dark Net and Telegram. Eager operated as the vendor WRSEH10 and marketed the fentanyl as “China White Synthetic Heroin.”
In June 2024, HSI agents executed search warrants on two residences associated with Eager in Kearny, New Jersey, and seized over 360 grams of powdered fentanyl, counterfeit M30 pills, drug ledgers, cellular phones, two computers, and drug packaging consistent with three deliveries that were sent to Oregon.
On September 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Eager with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
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On February 4, 2026, Eager pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
HSI Portland and HSI Houston investigated this case with assistance from HSI Newark, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT). Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey assisted the U.S. Attorney’s in Oregon in obtaining the search warrants that were executed in Kearny.
