The Oregon Health Authority is looking for a current or former Oregon Health Plan (OHP) member to join a new work group. The “Bridge Program Task Force” will guide OHA in creating a new health plan for people who may not qualify for OHP. The new program, with advice from the work group, is expected to be easy to afford, easy to access care, and will help prevent loss of insurance coverage for those who may lose OHP due to an increase in income.

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Bridge Program Task Force members will include people from a variety of backgrounds, including: community members, people who work in health care, people who work for health plans, people who work in behavioral health, and people who have helped others sign up for health insurance. The members will use their experience to ensure that the new health plan will promote continuous health care coverage, covers all essential health benefits, is easy to afford, and is available to anyone in Oregon who qualifies.

Next steps

Bridge Program Task Force members will be appointed by the Governor in early April, and the proposal describing how the program could best work for Oregonians is due Sept. 1, 2022. The Bridge Program Task Force will also draft recommendations for how to minimize increasing costs to the health insurance market and monthly premiums for its members which could be caused by the bridge program no later than Dec. 31, 2022. To accomplish all of this in such a short timeline, the Task Force will likely meet at least once every 3 weeks for 3 hours during the afternoon. There will be 2 meetings in April. Starting in May, the group will meet every 3 weeks. Some members of the Task Force may be able to receive funds for their time or expenses.

Applying for the Task Force

To apply, please complete the Bridge Program Task Force application through the Governor’s Workday portal (https://bit.ly/3InfXtm) by March 31, 2022.

For questions about the Bridge Program Task Force application, please contact Katie Button at katie.button2@dhsoha.state.or.us.