How Oregon health officials are preparing for change under Trump

Oregon medical personnel continue to brace yourself Policy and funding changes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office on January 20th.

And although nothing has been officially proposed, director Dr. Johnson said the Oregon Health Authority has already begun preparing for a number of potential changes. Sejal Hati.

“We conducted a tabletop exercise even before the election to identify the range of potential risks that a change in federal government could pose,” she recently told Lund Report.

The agency oversees free care to 1.4 million low-income Oregonians under the Oregon Health Plan, while also providing care management and support for many others in the state. .

Of all the state agencies, it will likely face the most pressing cuts and changes during President Trump’s second term.

Not only that, but the state’s health care system could face more changes than most other states because there are several programs that are unique to Oregon.

Hattie said agencies need to be prepared for anything, but “the reality is we still don’t know what the next administration will bring.”

She said state officials and others tend to consider a variety of responses to the new administration, ranging from active public “resistance” to quietly protecting the work that government agencies are doing. said. Please don’t make any noise. ”

So far, Gov. Tina Kotek’s public statements suggest she’s charting a middle course. She says she will fight to protect “Oregon values” against any partisan “attacks.”

Hattie emphasized that it’s up to Kotek to decide how Oregon responds to changes next year.

Authorities are preparing for various possibilities

Within the health department, Hattie’s office has created an “incident management” structure similar to how the department responds to severe weather or natural disasters. Hattie said she will be closely tracking proposed policies and executive orders, and will be looking at “what we can do administratively and legislatively to counter the potential impacts of our programs in terms of service and funding cuts.” We will consider what is required.”

Some of the areas where the new administration could make potentially disruptive cuts and changes in health care are already getting a lot of attention.

• President Trump confuses abortion rights and ultimately suggests the federal government stay out of it, but people continue to prepare worst case.
• President Trump’s campaign attacks on transgender care for young people could prompt federal efforts to eliminate or reduce coverage.
• On immigration, the Trump campaign has talked about mass deportations and is likely to take action that would affect six states, including Oregon, which have expanded eligibility to citizens regardless of documentation.

The unique nature of some programs requires Oregon officials to look at things at a deeper level.

Related: How will healthcare change under the new Trump administration?

More than 1 million Oregonians could face layoffs and changes

The Oregon Health Plan receives most of its funding from the federal Medicaid program, and cuts and changes are being discussed.

That’s why Oregon officials are watching several possibilities that could affect the 1 in 3 Oregonians eligible for the program.

• Federal officials may reconsider support for an Oregon-specific program that provides housing funds for some people and transition benefits for people released from state prisons. As Hattie puts it, that could come in the form of “rigorous evaluations” or budget “riders,” or restrictions on how federal funds can be spent.
• the potential for misuse of data shared with the federal government regarding infectious diseases and care programs;
• Some Republicans in Washington, D.C. urged Medicaid eligibility checks may be performed more frequently, possibly every six months. That would threaten Oregon’s two-year eligibility system, which is meant to prevent people from losing coverage because they forget a letter or make a mistake on paperwork.

Oregon’s plan could protect some while sacrificing others

There is also the question of what will happen if, as expected, Republicans let the expansion of health insurance subsidies expire. The subsidies, established by Biden in response to the pandemic, lowered health insurance premiums for individuals and families who don’t have Medicare but buy their own insurance.

Analysts say that if the subsidies were eliminated, people who pay too much for Medicaid but are less than four times the poverty level would pay more For insurance. And in Oregon, a new state program will make some people pay even higher premiums than the rest of the country, while others will lose their premiums altogether.

In Oregon, the state’s new “bridge” plan will protect these lower income groups. The plan aims to provide coverage similar to the Oregon Health Plan and protect up to 20,000 people from losing coverage. Provides free care to people who are not enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan but are less than twice the federal poverty level. $51,640 In 2024, a family of three;

But because of how the new program intersects with the vagaries of federal law, Oregonians two to four times the federal poverty level may — $103,280 Families of three in 2024 — thanks to a new state program, will see a bigger increase than any other state over the next three years. Analysis of an insurance company found it 20,000 people in Oregon would see an increase of more than $900 per year. This is on top of average premium increases of 27% to 67% or more due to the loss of federal subsidies.

Focus on public health and communication

The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic who withdrew his presidential candidacy after reaching an agreement with President Trump, has raised concerns among public health officials in many states, many of which have It is already grappling with a decline in vaccination rates that has been blamed. first semester. On the other hand, diseases such as whooping cough rising.

Hattie said state officials are bracing for “misinformation and disinformation” and are looking to reinvigorate the “trusted messenger network” the state used during the pandemic, including contracts with community-based organizations. He said he is using the platform to disseminate “common sense, evidence-based public health” information. intervention. ”

And given all the potential changes, Hattie said the state is also considering other support measures, adding: “We are already receiving calls from OHP members and others who may see their coverage reduced or impacted. We’re starting to get questions about whether that’s the case.”

This story was first published lund reportan independent nonprofit health news organization based in Oregon. Nick Budnick can be reached at: Via [email protected] or X @NickBudnick.