(Salem) – High school students across Oregon are invited to let their video skills shine for a good cause: increasing awareness about workplace safety for young workers.
The annual “Speak up. Work safe.” video contest is now open for submissions. The top three entries will take home cash prizes ranging from $300 to $500, and students will earn a matching amount for their school.
Students must create a 90-second or less video that inspires young workers to do at least one thing differently to stay safe on the job. The video must include the theme: “Speak up. Work safe.” The video must educate young workers about the importance of speaking up in the workplace. Participants are encouraged to develop a key message or slogan, use humor, and get creative while emphasizing ways to protect themselves – and their co-workers – from getting hurt on the job.
Submissions will be judged on certain criteria, including:
The deadline for submissions is Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. Videos can be submitted online or mailed.
Contest winners will be unveiled at a screening event in spring 2019, and winning entries will be posted on YouTube.
For contest information, including rules, tips, entry forms, workplace safety and young worker resources, and a playlist of past finalist videos, go to https://youngemployeesafety.org/contest/.
The Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]) organizes the contest. The sponsors are Oregon OSHA, SAIF Corporation, local Oregon chapters of the American Society of Safety Engineers, the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at OHSU, the SHARP Alliance, the Central Oregon Safety & Health Association, the SafeBuild Alliance, Hoffman Construction, and Construction Safety Summit.
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Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, visit www.osha.oregon.gov.
The Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]) is a nonprofit dedicated to preventing young worker injuries and fatalities. O[yes] members include safety and health professionals, educators, employers, labor and trade associations, and regulators. For more information, go to http://youngemployeesafety.org/.
(Portland) – Oregon Gov. Kate Brown this morning marked the beginning of open enrollment, the six-week period to sign up for individual and family health insurance. In a kick-off event at the Asian Health and Service Center, Gov. Brown and other Oregon leaders encouraged people to check whether they qualify for financial help with their health insurance. Financial help for people who buy their own insurance is available only through HealthCare.gov, also known as the marketplace.
“I want to take us from 94 to 99 percent access to health care for adults,” said Gov. Brown. “The marketplace is an important way to get there. Eighty percent of Oregonians who are currently uninsured are eligible for either the Oregon Health Plan or financial assistance through the marketplace.”
Open enrollment lasts through Dec. 15.
People who are uninsured or who may be paying too much for their coverage should apply for financial assistance through the marketplace. The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, the state-based partner to HealthCare.gov, works to ease the enrollment process.
“We train and support community groups and insurance agents all around the state who are ready to help people, help them fill out their application, help them understand their options, help them pick a plan,” said Cameron Smith, director of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS). The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace is a division of DCBS.
Last year, more than 70 percent of Oregonians who enrolled in plans through HealthCare.gov qualified for help paying for coverage. For 2019 coverage, individuals making $48,560 or less, and families of four making $100,400 or less, may qualify. Financial help can be significant. For 2018 coverage, Oregonians who qualified for financial help got plans with an average premium of $138.
Once open enrollment ends Dec. 15, people will be able to buy insurance plans only if they have a qualifying event, such as losing other coverage, getting married, or having a baby. Oregonians should go to OregonHealthCare.gov to get started, or to find free, local help enrolling.
WHAT:
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, Oregon's U.S. senators, and representatives from the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace will announce the beginning of open enrollment today in Portland. A media availability will follow.
Open enrollment is the health insurance sign-up period for people who buy health insurance for themselves and their families. It runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15. For people who don’t get coverage through their job or another program, it is most likely the only time to sign up for 2019 health insurance and get help paying for coverage at HealthCare.gov.
WHEN:
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018; 10-11 a.m.
WHERE:
Asian Health & Service Center
9035 SE Foster Road Portland
Parking is available in the lot behind the building.
Reporters outside the Portland area, watch the livestream online:
Facebook.com/ORMarketplace
WHO:
The speaker lineup for the event includes:
• Gov. Kate Brown
• U.S. Senator Ron Wyden
• U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley
• Holden Leung, chief executive officer, Asian Health & Service Center
• Chiqui Flowers, administrator, Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace
• Cameron Smith, director, Department of Consumer and Business Services
• Sean Snyder, enrollment assister, Project Access NOW
• Henri Cross, insurance agent, HE Cross Company
VISUALS:
Visual materials will be on display and provided on USB drives for media.
The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace is the state-level partner to HealthCare.gov and a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS). For more information go to OregonHealthCare.gov.
MEDIA RSVP: Email Elizabeth Cronen, elizabeth.m.cronen@oregon.gov
WHAT:
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and representatives from the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace will hold a press conference to announce the beginning of open enrollment. A media availability will follow.
Open enrollment is the health insurance sign-up period for people who buy health insurance for themselves and their families. It runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15. For people who don’t get coverage through their job or another program, it is most likely the only time to sign up for 2019 health insurance and get help paying for coverage at HealthCare.gov.
WHEN:
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018
Press conference: 10-11 a.m.
WHERE:
Asian Health & Service Center
9035 SE Foster Road Portland
Parking is available in the lot behind the building.
WHO:
The speaker lineup for the event includes:
VISUALS:
Visual materials will be on display and provided on USB drives for media.
The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace is the state-level partner to HealthCare.gov and a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS). For more information go to OregonHealthCare.gov.
(Salem) – Insurance experts will be on hand in the Columbia Gorge region Nov. 7 and 8 to help people understand insurance, apply for help paying for coverage, and enroll in coverage. The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace and partner Revel Coy Insurance will hold “Health Insurance 101” workshops and host two enrollment events.
The events come early in open enrollment, the six-week period when people who buy their own insurance can choose a health plan and see if they qualify for help paying for it through HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment runs Nov. 1 through Dec. 15.
Hood River, Wednesday, Nov. 7:
Health Insurance 101 will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the local Columbia Gorge Community College campus, Room 1.202, 1730 College Way, Hood River. Register online at https://web4.cgcc.cc.or.us/CE/detail.asp?CourseID=1093076
Enrollment assistance will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. at Providence Hood River Hospital, 810 12th St. in Hood River. No registration is required for enrollment assistance.
The Dalles, Thursday, Nov. 8:
Health Insurance 101 will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the local Columbia Gorge Community College campus, Room 3.101, 400 E Scenic Drive, The Dalles. Register online at https://web4.cgcc.cc.or.us/CE/detail.asp?CourseID=1093075
Enrollment assistance will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. at Celilo Cancer Center, Room Columbia A, 1800 E 19th St., The Dalles. No registration is required for enrollment assistance.
All of the events in Hood River and The Dalles are free.
Attendees planning to enroll in coverage should bring the following household information:
* Social Security numbers and birth dates
* Immigration documentation, if applicable
* Employer and income information
* Federal tax information
* Policy numbers and plan names for current insurance, if any
More information
The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace offers general information for consumers through a local service center, which can be reached by calling 1-855-268-3767 (toll-free) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or by email info.marketplace@oregon.gov
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The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace the state-level partner to HealthCare.gov, and is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit OregonHealthCare.gov.
(Salem) – Insurance experts will be on hand at Oregon State University-Cascades in Bend next month to help people enroll in health insurance and apply for help paying for coverage. In addition, staff from the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace will hold a “Health Insurance 101” workshop for those who want to learn more about choosing and using coverage.
The event comes early in open enrollment, the six-week period when people who buy their own insurance can choose a plan and see if they qualify for help paying for it through HealthCare.gov. Open enrollment runs Nov. 1 through Dec. 15.
Event details:
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 6
Times: Health Insurance 101 will run from noon to 1 p.m.
Enrollment assistance will be available from 1 to 3 p.m.
Place: OSU-Cascades, 1500 SW Chandler Ave., Tykeson Hall Rm 209, Bend
“Anyone needing health coverage – students and community members alike – can walk in and meet one-on-one with an insurance agent or another expert,” said Hannah Kuehl, health advisor at OSU-Cascades.
Local groups Mosaic Medical and Latino Community Association of Central Oregon will provide application assistance. Insurance agents from High Desert Insurance and Central Financial Services of Oregon also will help people choose plans and enroll.
The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace is hosting the event in partnership with the college and the Oregon Department of Human Services.
Attendees planning to enroll in coverage should bring the following household information:
* Social Security numbers and birth dates
* Immigration documentation, if applicable
* Employer and income information
* Federal tax information
* Policy numbers and plan names for current insurance, if any
More information
The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace offers general information for consumers through a local service center, which can be reached by calling 1-855-268-3767 (toll-free) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or by email info.marketplace@oregon.gov
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The Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace the state-level partner to HealthCare.gov, and is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit OregonHealthCare.gov.
(Salem) – Workers, contractors, and employers in Oregon’s pulp, paper, and forest products industries are invited to attend a Nov. 27-30 conference designed to highlight best safety and health practices in their respective fields. Topics covered include hazard recognition, fall protection, chain saw training, chemical safety, and personal protective equipment.
The Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) is one of several partners presenting the 28th annual Western Pulp, Paper & Forest Products Safety & Health Conference at the Red Lion Hotel on the River – Jantzen Beach in Portland.
John Martin, who runs Martin Safety Solutions of Charleston, S.C., will deliver the keynote presentation on Tuesday, Nov. 27. A 35-year veteran of the construction and manufacturing industries, Martin will discuss his experience with an industry safety failure that left him in a hospital burn unit for more than five months.
Martin said people are responsible for their own safety, and the safety of their fellow workers.
“The importance of my presentation is to share my life-changing consequences from my accident – which was preventable – that continue to affect my family and fellow workers to this day,” he said.
The four-day conference also will feature exhibits, company safety meetings, roundtable discussions, and workshops. Sessions include:
The registration fee is $285 to attend the full conference. The fee for one day – Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday – is $95. It is $40 for Friday. To register, go to safetyseries.cvent.com/wppf18.
If you have questions or need help registering, call the Oregon OSHA Conference Section, 503-947-7411.
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About Oregon OSHA:
Oregon OSHA, a division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, enforces the state’s workplace safety and health rules and works to improve workplace safety and health for all Oregon workers. For more information, go to www.osha.oregon.gov.
The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, go to www.dcbs.oregon.gov.
(Salem) – Annual open enrollment for Medicare starts today, and Oregon’s Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) Program is available to help.
Medicare is health insurance for people 65 years or older or younger than 65 with Social Security Disability Income. People living in Oregon who are 65 years or older may be eligible to sign up and find health insurance that best meets their needs. Medicare covers many medical costs, including visits to the doctor, prescription medications, and preventive care, such as mammograms, colonoscopies, diabetes treatment, and blood pressure screenings.
Medicare annual enrollment runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2018. Any Medicare Advantage (MA) or prescription drug plan (Part D) changes must be made between these dates so that coverage begins without interruption on Jan. 1, 2019. Those who are late to enroll may face a lifetime of premium penalties.
“It is important to compare Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans every year,” SHIBA Program Manager Lisa Emerson said. “Plans change year to year, as do people’s individual health care needs. People could potentially save money by shopping for a new plan.”
SHIBA provides free health insurance counseling to explain how the Medicare program works, additional insurance options that work with Medicare, and help with reducing out-of-pocket costs. SHIBA staff members, along with more than 200 certified counselors, serve many of Oregon’s more than 860,000 Medicare beneficiaries to help them understand their Medicare benefits and enrollment options. Free information and help is available by calling 1-800-722-4134 (toll-free) or visiting shiba.oregon.gov.
SHIBA counselors help beneficiaries compare plans and enroll by using the plan finder tool found online at www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan. Beneficiaries and their families can also choose to use this tool to compare plans and enroll on their own.
SHIBA also publishes an annual Medicare guide, which will be available online in early October and in print in mid-November.
Tips from SHIBA to prepare for Medicare open enrollment:
Review your plan notice. Be sure to read any notices from your Medicare plan about changes for next year, especially your Annual Notice of Change letter.
Think about what matters most to you. Medicare health and drug plans change each year and so can your health needs. Do you need a new primary care doctor? Does your network include the specialist you want for an upcoming surgery? Is your new medication covered by your current plan? Does another plan offer the same value at a lower cost? Take stock of your health status and determine if you need to make a change.
Find out if you qualify for help paying for your Medicare. SHIBA can help you learn about a state program that helps with the costs of Medicare premiums, your Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (medical insurance) deductibles, co-insurance and co-payments, and Medicare prescription drug coverage costs.
Apply for help with drug costs. If you have limited income and assets, you may qualify for extra help with prescription drug costs. SHIBA counselors can help you apply for this benefit through Social Security.
Contact your doctor, hospital, and pharmacy before making changes. Not all health and drug plans contract or work with the same providers. If you switch plans, make sure you understand which providers you can see for the best price.
SHIBA is also advising people to protect their identity by guarding their Medicare card like they would their credit card or Social Security number. Identity theft from stolen Medicare numbers is becoming more common. To protect against identity theft, don’t share your Medicare number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you by telephone or email, or approaches you in person, unless you have given that person permission in advance. Medicare will never contact you (unless you ask them to) for your Medicare number or other personal information. Also, don’t let anyone borrow or pay to use your Medicare number.
More information
SHIBA: To meet with a counselor, contact the toll-free SHIBA Helpline at 1-800-722-4134. You will be asked to enter your ZIP code to be connected to a program in your area. Visit https://healthcare.oregon.gov/shiba to find local help in your county, obtain a copy of the 2018 Oregon Guide to Medicare Health plans, and find Medicare education and enrollment events in your area.
Follow SHIBA on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OregonSHIBA.
SHIBA is part of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS), Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov. Follow DCBS on Twitter: http://twitter.com/OregonDCBS. Receive consumer help and information on topics such as insurance, mortgages, investments, and workplace safety.
Salem - Gov. Kate Brown has proclaimed Oct. 15-19, as Oregon Community Bank Week. The week honors local banks and their employees for their economic and civic contributions in communities across the state.
Oregon’s community banks, most of which are chartered by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, play an essential role in promoting the economic health and prosperity of the state. In some communities they are the sole provider of banking products and services and sometimes the largest employer.
Community banks provide $400 million in agriculture-related loans, $5.9 billion in small business loans, and 5,400 family wage jobs annually.
“Our state banks take a relationship-based approach to doing business by providing banking services, creating jobs, and educating customers and students about a variety of financial matters,” said Cameron Smith, DCBS director. “They actively participate in every corner of the state and are a major financing source for our small businesses and farms.”
State chartered banks throughout Oregon are celebrating Community Bank Week in their local neighborhoods. Many of them will host consumers, students, small businesses, and local elected officials to showcase the positive effect banks have on the people they serve.
To learn more about the Oregon banks recognized during Community Bank Week, go to oregonbankers.com/community-bank-week.html.
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About DCBS: The Department of Consumer and Business Services is Oregon's largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. For more information, visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov.
About Oregon DFR:
The Division of Financial Regulation is part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon’s largest business regulatory and consumer protection agency. Visit www.dcbs.oregon.gov and http://dfr.oregon.gov/Pages/index.aspx.