Oregon Prepares Medicaid Members For New Federal Rules, Calls On Community Partners To Help Keep People Covered - 09/18/26
September 18, 2026
Media Contact: Amy Bacher, amy.bacher2@oha.oregon.gov
Oregon prepares Medicaid members for new federal rules, calls on community partners to help keep people covered
OHA will hold a media briefing on Sept. 21 to outline federal changes and answer related questions
SALEM, OR – Beginning this month, about 600,000 Oregon Health Plan members will begin receiving notices about upcoming changes to the Oregon Health Plan (OHP / Medicaid). These updates are required under new federal mandates outlined in House Resolution 1, also known as HR1 or the Big Beautiful Bill, which states must follow to maintain federal funding.
One of the first changes will take effect January 1, 2027, when new work or activity rules begin for certain OHP members ages 19 to 64. While most adults with OHP who can work already do, some will need to provide documentation when they apply for or renew coverage once the rules are in place.
The notices going out this month are informational only and no action is required yet; however, OHA is urging members to keep their contact information up to date, so they don’t miss these notices or future updates. Members can do that by:
- Going to benefits.oregon.gov
- Calling 1-800-699-9075 (all relay calls welcome),
- Downloading the ONE mobile app, or
- Visiting a local Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) office
Community partners are encouraged to help spread the word about upcoming changes by sharing flyers, social media posts, and information available at: https://ohp.oregon.gov/toolkit.
Media are invited to an OHA virtual briefing on Monday, Sept. 21
OHA leaders will brief the media and answer questions about upcoming federal changes during a virtual session. Details about the briefing:
Date: Monday, September 21, 2026
Time: 11:00am – 11:30am
Location: Virtual, via Zoom
Meeting ID: 165 737 0403, Passcode: 932201, +16692545252,,1657370403#
Community partners can view the briefing via YouTube.
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