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Oregon Health Plan for Children

The Oregon Health Plan (OHP) is a state-subsidized health care program that provides low-income families access to health care services and helps improve upon the quality of care individuals typically receive. The OHP Plus program offers children and teens benefits through collaboration with the federal Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

  1. OHP Overview

    • The goal of OHP regarding children is to make sure every child in the state of Oregon has health coverage, whether it is through private or group insurance or through OHP. Children in low-income families and those who are homeless are automatically eligible to receive health insurance at little or no cost to the parents or guardians. The Oregon Legislature voted in June 2009, according to the Portland Oregonian, to extend OHP coverage to more children throughout the state, regardless of a parent's employment situation.

    Healthy Kids Program

    • The Healthy Kids program is a new extension of the Oregon Health Plan that receives part of its funding through the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This program offers affordable health care coverage to children for at least one year, and coverage can extend past a year as long as a child is eligible. The OHP Healthy Kids program is also open to children with pre-existing medical conditions.

    Eligibility

    • A child's eligibility for OHP is dependent upon three factors: age, residency and family income. The OHP website states eligible children are under the age of 19 and must be Oregon residents. Other eligibility criteria include not having health coverage for at least two months, a parent's sudden unemployment and/or a serious medical condition that needs attention. To qualify for free or low-cost premiums, a family's income must be under 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Children whose families are above 300 percent of the FPL are not eligible for OHP unless they are unsheltered, unaccompanied homeless minors.

    Premium Costs

    • OHP is free of charge if a family earns 200 percent below the FPL, which is about $44,100 for a family of four. Families earning between 200 and 300 percent of the FPL are charged premiums on a sliding scale of $18 to $105. Premium rates are based on income as well as the number of children a family has.

    Benefits Covered

    • When enrolled, a child's benefits through the OHP Healthy Kids program lasts one full year regardless of a parent's employment status and access to group health insurance. Health benefits to children include preventative care, medical care, vision and dental care, medical equipment, prescription medication, chemical dependency services and mental health services.

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