(Salem) – More than 145,00 Oregonians signed up for health plans for 2020 through HealthCare.gov. During the 45-day-long open enrollment period in November/December people can buy health insurance for the upcoming year and many receive subsidies through HealthCare.gov established by the Affordable Care Act. “In many cases, Oregonians whose health and future might have been in jeopardy because they did not have access to insurance find that the plans and subsidies available through HealthCare.gov help make insurancemore affordable for them” said Chiqui Flowers, administrator of the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, the state-level partner to HealthCare.gov. Oregon’s uninsured rate has dropped almost 11 percent since 2009. About 94 percent of Oregonians and 98 percent of Oregon children have health insurance. “Oregonians will receive the care they need and live longer, better lives because of the work done by the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace,” said Lou Savage, Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, the state’s largest consumer protection and business regulatory agency, of which the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace is a part. This year’s enrollment of 145,264 Oregonians is a 2 percent decrease from last year’s 148,180. For those who helped Oregonians find health insurance through the Marketplace this year, their job is not complete. “Our focus now that open enrollment is over is to remind Oregonians who signed up for coverage that they must pay their premium when they receive their January bill in order to make their coverage effective,” said Flowers. “In addition, though open enrollment for 2020 is now closed, Oregonians who experience life changes such as losing job-covered insurance or Medicaid, becoming pregnant, or getting married may qualify for a special enrollment period.”
