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September 18, 2014

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More Oregonians have health care coverage than ever before

***Embargoed until September 18, 2014 at 1 p.m. Pacific***

PORTLAND, Ore. A study released today shows that the number of uninsured
Oregonians fell by 63 percent from June 30, 2013 to June 30, 2014. Conducted
by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon Health
Authority, in consultation with the State Health Access Data Assistance Center at
the University of Minnesota, the studys key objective was to estimate the number
of uninsured individuals in Oregon as a result of policy changes associated with
the Affordable Care Act.

This first glance at Oregons uninsured rates shows that a significant number of
Oregonians have benefited from expansions in access to health insurance, said
Peter Graven, Ph.D., health economist with the Center for Health Systems
Effectiveness at OHSU and lead author on the study. Our study found that 95
percent of Oregonians now have health insurance coverage

The number of uninsured Oregonians in June 2013 was estimated to be
approximately 550,000, or 14 percent of the total population. The study found that
the number of uninsured individuals in Oregon declined to roughly 202,000 in
June 2014, or 5.1 percent of the population.

The study entitled Impacts of the Affordable Care Act on Health Insurance
coverage in Oregon used a methodology developed by the State Health Access
Data Assistance Center that assembled data by coverage type at two points in
time: June 30, 2013 and June 30, 2014. Data for the analysis were gathered from
the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon Health
Authority enrollment reports on Oregon Health Plan programs, the 2013 Oregon
Health Insurance Survey and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Since the beginning of the year, nearly all of the previously uninsured patients we
care for at Richmond Clinic have gained health insurance coverage, said
Christina Milano, M.D., assistant professor in the OHSU School of Medicine and
family medicine physician at the OHSU Richmond Clinic. This makes a huge
difference for these patients who previously had to pay out of pocket or work out
other payment agreements; its a big weight off their shoulders. Theres also a
peace of mind that comes with knowing youre covered if you have a critical
illness in the future.

Medicaid eligibility extensions and expanded access to individual health plans
through Cover Oregon drove the substantial increase in the number of insured
Oregonians. Most of the newly insured are enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan,
Oregons Medicaid program, which saw an increase of more than 360,000, or 59
percent. Participation in private non-group health plans saw a 20 percent increase
in participation, primarily through Cover Oregon Oregons health insurance
marketplace.

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Mirabai Vogt
503 494-8231
vogtmi@ohsu.edu


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OHSU Center for Health
Systems Effectiveness

State Health Access Data
Assistance Center

Oregon Health Authority




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The study also found that increased access to public and non-group insurance
was partially offset by 2 percent declines in enrollment in large and small group
plans.

This was a preliminary study and longer-term surveys, due out in 2015, will be
critical in understanding the full picture in Oregon, said Graven. But today we
know Oregon has successfully enrolled 63 percent of the uninsured. That
significant increase should impact the newly insured Oregonians in a positive way.
Research shows that when people gain health insurance coverage, specifically
the Oregon Health Plan, they have greater economic security, reduction in
medical debt and bankruptcy and increased preventative screenings.

Support for the study was provided by the Oregon Health Authority and by the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundations State Health Reform Assistance Network.


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Oregon Health & Science University (http://www.ohsu.edu) is a nationally
prominent research university and Oregons only public academic health center. It
serves patients throughout the region with a Level 1 trauma center and nationally
recognized Doernbecher Childrens Hospital. OHSU operates dental, medical,
nursing and pharmacy schools that rank high both in research funding and in
meeting the universitys social mission. OHSUs Knight Cancer Institute helped
pioneer personalized medicine through a discovery that identified how to shut
down cells that enable cancer to grow without harming healthy ones. OHSU Brain
Institute scientists are nationally recognized for discoveries that have led to a
better understanding of Alzheimers disease and new treatments for Parkinsons
disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke. OHSUs Casey Eye Institute is a global
leader in ophthalmic imaging, and in clinical trials related to eye disease.