State Receives $10 Million Grant to Expand Coverage

September 18, 2009 -- Oregon’s health reform initiatives are $10 million richer thanks to a federal grant, which will help expand coverage to 115,000 children and low-income adults.

 

“We’re very excited about the grant,” said Tina Edlund, deputy director of the Oregon Health Authority. “We’ll be able to do better outreach work for Healthy Kids and work on new health insurance products.”

 

In addition, the funds will help streamline the eligibility and enrollment processes by developing an electronic application and develop educational e-training modules in select Oregon communities.

 

Oregon is among 13 states to receive funds from the federal Health Resources and Services Agency (HRSA), and has requested $43.8 million over the next five years, according to Dr. Jeanene Smith, director of the Office for Oregon Health Policy and Research.

 

Future funds will support the implementation of a health insurance exchange, develop an infrastructure for a value-based health insurance benefit design and support a small business product and reinsurance strategy.

 

To receive the grant, Oregon had to provide 20 percent of the matching funds, roughly $2 million, which were approved by the 2009 legislature following passage of House Bills 2009 and 2116. That legislation, which set up the Oregon Health Policy Board, requires every Oregonian to have coverage by 2015.