If you do seasonal work on Mount Hood and you are wondering about your health insurance options, you might consider attending a health insurance open house organized by Cover Oregon for Monday in Government Camp. Especially since health insurance may be far cheaper than you thought – or even free.
Open enrollment for health insurance runs through Feb. 15, which means time is running short to change your health insurance plan for the year, or to get coverage if you are uninsured. Cover Oregon has set up the event in Govy along with other open houses across Oregon to help people sort through their options and see how much they can save on health care coverage.
Elizabeth Cronen of Cover Oregon says the event in Govy is meant for “anybody up on Mount Hood who does not have health insurance through their job, or who wants to shop for a better deal for health insurance.” That includes seasonal ski resort employees, contractors and other folks who are responsible for their own health care coverage.
“Seasonal workers and workers in the hospitality industry are crucial to the economy, and their health matters,” says Cronen. “We want to lend a hand in helping them to get coverage.”
The event is free and is scheduled for Monday Feb. 2, from 10 am to 2 pm at the Grand Lodges clubhouse in Government Camp, 31260 East Collins Lake Road. If you decide to attend, your process will go smoother if you have an email address through an Internet mail system such as Yahoo or Gmail, and you memorize or bring your password. You should also bring your social security number and/or the number of the person looking for coverage. You do not need to bring a W-2 or specific proof of income. Non-citizens should bring their non-citizen ID numbers.
Walk-ins are welcome, or you can register in advance here.
The event is one of numerous open houses organized by Cover Oregon, and it may be one of the final initiatives for the entity set up to build a website to help health insurance buyers in Oregon — a well-intentioned project that unfortunately failed miserably.
Cover Oregon staffers will be helping people work their way through healthcare.gov to find the best plan for their needs and budget. “After people do their application, they’ll get a result for what type of coverage they are eligible for,” Cronen says. “Some people will be eligible for tax credits to help pay for private plans, and other folks will be eligible for the Oregon Health Plan, which is our state’s no-cost public insurance program.”
The cut-off income levels for tax credits and the Oregon Health Plan may be higher than you thought. Individuals who make less than $16,000 per year can qualify for free coverage through the Oregon Health Plan, and people who make less than $46,700 can qualify for tax credits to offset the cost of private insurance.
“A family of four can have an income as high as $90,000 and still qualify for tax credits to pay for their health insurance,” says Cronen.
Here is a link to Cover Oregon’s eligibility chart.
If you can’t make it to Monday’s open house you can always apply on your own at healthcare.gov or contact Cover Oregon to set up an appointment for assistance. There are also other Cover Oregon Open Houses coming up, including Tuesday, Feb. 10 from noon to 4 pm at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham. Click here for a full list of open houses in Oregon over the next few weeks.
Open enrollment for private health insurance plans ends on Feb. 15. But there is no deadline for the free Oregon Health Plan, which is always open to people who qualify.
Last modified: January 27, 2015
