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Oregon Insurance News2/17/2011 Oregon Health Authority was granted more than $48 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to use commercially available, off-the-shelf software to create a health insurance exchange. This Exchange Early Information Technology Innovation Grant will help Oregon create a modular, reusable IT solution that will provide the Exchange’s customers with seamless access to information, financial assistance and easy health insurance enrollment, with no gaps in coverage or assistance cliffs for anyone up to 400% of the federal poverty level. The Oregon Health Authority estimates that 516,000 Medicaid clients and 277,000 commercial insurance consumers will use the health insurance exchange to shop for and enroll in health coverage. 1/19/2011 Child-only health insurance for children with significant medical problems will be available through an open enrollment period mandated by federal state law under new rules developed by the state. All children, regardless of medical condition, continue to be eligible for insurance when applying as a dependent on a parent’s policy and healthy children are eligible for child-only insurance at any time. When applying for child-only insurance for more than one child, make a separate application for each child. 12/16/2010 Oregon Office for Oregon Health Policy & Research officials met representatives of 44 other states and numerous employees of the federal Health and Human Services Department in Washington DC this week for a two-day working meeting to discuss the next steps in establish a government-run health insurance exchange under the American Health Benefit Exchange Model Act. Their attendance at this meeting was paid for by a $1 million federal grant awarded by HHS in September to the state for research how to set up an insurance exchange. Two states (Alaska and Minnesota) declined to participate, saying that it was a waste of taxpayer money. Four other states (not identified in press reports) that received federal grants did not send representatives to the meeting. Attendees included representatives of 16 states that are suing the federal government in an attempt to overturn the federal health reform law; specifically the requirement that forces individuals to buy health insurance on the insurance exchange or pay a hefty tax fine. In its initial federal grant request for the insurance exchange project, Oregon said that it would: 1) Study the feasibility of a public corporation Exchange model, including: a) Using a public comment web-portal and soliciting feedback, b) Guidance from technical assistance work group and consumer advisory group, c) Partnering with nearby States for joint purchasing, and 2) Create a final operational and technical infrastructure plan. The meeting reportedly did not address the role of the commercial health insurance exchanges on the implementation of new competing government systems. The model act does not address inter-state insurance exchange proposals nor insurance sales across state lines. Federal officials admitted that they may not be able to provide further guidance until 2012. Meanwhile, most states are motivated to continue to meet requirements to obtain additional funding promised by the federal government for the establishment of insurance exchange by 2014. Freedom Benefits has previously voiced the opinion that the huge amount of money being spent to set up alternate insurance sales system technologies could be better used providing health benefits to the public. We proposed on the Universal Health Insurance blog that adequate commercial insurance sales systems are already in place that could be modified in a public/private partnership to make health insurance more affordable. 10/21/2010 Medicare pdate: Some Oregon residents covered by a fee for service Medicare Advantage plan must select new insurance for 2011. The 2011 edition of Oregon Guide to Medigap, Medicare Advantage & Prescription Drug Plans is now availale online to help with these decisions. The state also offers free individual councelling with Medicare selection. 5/14/2010 Diabetes Coverage: A new resource to help find health insurance for diabetics in Oregon is now available at Freedom Benefits. |
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The content on this Web page is maintained by consumer finance writer Tony Novak. Comments, feedback, questions and corrections are welcome to help keep content relevant and up-to-date. Contact the author directly by e-mail, on Twitter or through the contact information included on his Web site. 
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