Best health insurance in Oregon 2023
In this article, we will give you a detailed review of the best health insurance in Oregon. We will analyze and compare the health plans of all the health insurance providers to give you a complete guide on buying the best health insurance plans in Oregon. If you are looking for affordable health insurance outside of Oregon- make sure to check out our list of best health insurance providers in the US.
Overview of health insurance in Oregon
Nearly half of the 4.2 million adult residents in Oregon receive their health insurance from their employers. The rest of the residents either purchase it through private insurance providers or the government health department. Only 7% of the residents in Oregon are uninsured.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, provides insurance for 145,264 residents in Oregon. You can apply for enrolment in ACA through healthcare.gov. The rest of the residents purchase their plans through the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and Medicare.
You can apply for OHP by visiting their website and applying for the health plan. This can be done throughout the year. However, for Medicare and private health insurance plans, the open enrollment process begins on November 1 and lasts until December 15. You will have to renew your enrollment every year.
There are many private health insurance providers in the Oregon health insurance marketplace that provide affordable healthcare plans to their customers. The most popular ones are:
- BridgeSpan
- Kaiser Permanente
- Moda
- PacificSource Health Plans
- Providence Health Plan Oregon
- Regence
List of Providers and Comparisons of Plans
According to the Oregon health insurance companies list, the following plans are considered the best in the state:
- BridgeSpan Health Company
- Kaiser Permanente
- PacificSource Health Plans
- Providence Health Plan
- Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the NW
- PacificSource Health Plans
- Providence Health Plan
- Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
In the NCQA’s Health Insurance Plan Ratings of 2017-2018, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest Inc. received the highest rating. The results are presented below:
It was stated in the Portland Business Journal that the top 5 Oregon health insurance providers covered 61% of the state’s market share as more and more people switched to private health insurance.
In Oregon, residents spend an average of $8,044 annually on their health insurance premiums. The pricing for the Oregon health insurance plans depends on the type of the plan and what it covers. For example, the average price for the Metal Tier, the Bronze plan offered by Kaiser Permanente, is $314, and it gives basic coverage for inpatient and outpatient medical expenses as a result of serious medical problems and injuries. However, it doesn’t provide coverage for routine visits to clinics.
The health insurance plans with the lowest monthly premiums in the State Marketplace are known as catastrophic plans. These plans cover the medical costs for accidents and emergencies. It gives you coverage for basic healthcare services like vaccinations, health screenings, annual check-ups, and contraceptives if you require them.
According to the table above, the catastrophic plan has the lowest monthly premium, with an average cost of $237, but the highest yearly deductible of $8,550. The gold plan has the highest monthly premium of $417 and the lowest yearly deductible of $1,500.
It is important to note that the monthly premiums for your health insurance are not only dependent on the type of your plan but also on your age. As you age, you will pay more on each subsequent premium because your health risks increase.
Moreover, it was observed that because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the overall economic and political situation of the country, the average cost of health insurance in Oregon became 6% more expensive in 2021 than it was back in 2020.
For most people in Oregon, Moda Health Affinity Silver 3500 is the most affordable healthcare plan, and almost 31% of the counties in Oregon rely on this plan for their medical expenses.
Cheapest Health Insurance Plan by Cities in Oregon
In this section, we will discuss the cheapest health insurance in Oregon based on each county. The pricing for monthly premium is stated for an average 40-year old American, a couple where the husband and wife are both 40 years old, and if they want to include their child in the family healthcare plan.
From the table above, we can clearly see that Moda Health Affinity Silver 3500 plan was the most popular health insurance plan in Oregon. However, its monthly premiums are higher than that of other Silver plans like Connect 4500 Silver, Kaiser Permanente OR Silver 4500/40, PacificSource Oregon Standard Silver Plan NAV, Navigator Silver 3000, and Moda Health Beacon Silver 3500.
In the city of Portland, the Connect 4500 Silver plan is affordable health insurance in Oregon. Its average monthly premium for a 40-year old is $402.
In the city of Salem, Kaiser Permanente OR Silver 4500/40 is the cheapest health insurance plan. Its average monthly premium for a 40-year old is $406. For couples where the husband and wife are both over 40 years of age, the monthly premium is $812, and if their child is included in the plan, they are required to pay $1,014 every month.
This makes Kaiser Permanente a cheap health insurance Oregon provider.
In the city of Eugene, again, Kaiser Permanente OR Silver 4500/40 is the cheapest health insurance plan with an average monthly premium of $426. This is because Lane county has a 100% urban population as compared to Marion county. The urbanization in Lane county increases the risk of health problems and diseases in an aging population.
In the city of Hillsboro, the Connect 4500 Silver plan was found to be the most affordable health insurance in Oregon. Its average monthly premium for a 40-year old is $402. For couples where the husband and wife are both over 40 years of age, the monthly premium is $804, and if their child is included in the plan, they are required to pay $1,004 every month.
Gresham is in Multnomah county. The cheapest health insurance plan in this city is Connect 4500 Silver, with an average monthly premium of $402 for a 40-year old person.
Average Cost of Health Insurance by Family Size in Oregon
The average health insurance cost in Oregon for 2021, across all the metal tiers (bronze, silver, and gold) is $467 per month. According to the health insurance quotes in Oregon, Moda Health, Kaiser Permanente, PacificSource, and Providence Health Plan Oregon offered the lowest yearly deductibles.
If you are considering opting for a family health insurance plan, you must bear in mind that the size of your family and the ages of all family members will have an effect on the monthly premium.
In Oregon, the average monthly cost of health insurance for a family with four persons is $1,497. This is considered to be the cheapest and low-income health insurance in Oregon. The table below explains the average cost of health insurance by family size in the state of Oregon.
Oregon Health Insurance Guide and Resources
In the state of Oregon, there are 3 main types of health insurance providers:
- Health insurance provided by your employer
- Private health insurance in Oregon for individuals and families
- Government-assisted health insurance
According to recent statistics, only 7% of the population in Oregon is uninsured. In fact, in a study conducted by US News, it was found that the state of Oregon has the 20th best health insurance in the USA. The 3 different types of health insurance companies in Oregon and their numerous health insurance plans ensure that everyone in Oregon has access to affordable healthcare.
1. Employer-Provided Health Insurance in Oregon
Nearly half of the residents in Oregon have employer-provided health insurance, which covers the medical expenses of the employees and their families. This gives them all the basic benefits of health insurance. These benefits include coverage for:
- Emergency service
- Hospitalization
- Maternity care, delivery, and childcare
- Healthcare for children
- Mental health and therapies
- Treatments for substance abuse
- Outpatient services and care
- Medical tests
- Accidents and injuries
- Prescribed medicines and drugs
2. Private Health Insurance Providers in Oregon
There are many private health insurance companies that provide individual health insurance in Oregon as well as health insurance for families. The best health insurance in Oregon can be bought from the State Marketplace by simply entering your personal details online, such as your postal address, age, average monthly income, and the number of children depending on you. These online health insurance tools will suggest the best health insurance plans in Oregon based on your needs.
However, you must keep in mind that most private health insurance providers open their round of applications in the fall. You can apply for open enrollment between November 1 and December 15. This is to ensure that as the new year begins, you and your family have insurance from the first day onwards.
3. Government Assisted Health Insurance in Oregon
You can apply for three different types of government-assisted health insurance in Oregon. At the federal level, we have the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is also commonly known as Obamacare. Currently, only 145,264 residents in Oregon have access to Obamacare. You can directly apply for Obamacare through the government portal, Healthcare.gov. You can check the eligibility criteria before enrolling yourself to ensure that you and your family qualify for government-assisted health insurance.
Or, you could apply for one of the state-level health insurance plans such as the Medicare and Oregon Health Plan (OHP). Medicare is a comprehensive health insurance coverage that includes Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Almost every 2 out of 5 people are enrolled in Medicare in Oregon. You can apply for the OHP through their website and pick the plan that best works for you.
Most of these health insurance plans cover the costs of the following essential healthcare services:
- Routine visits to the physicians
- Primary care
- Urgent care and emergency room admissions
- Cancer treatments
- Blood tests
- Physical therapies
- X-Rays
Tips to Save on Health Insurance in Oregon
Several factors affect the cost of your Oregon health insurance premiums. According to the Oregon health insurance companies list, most health insurance providers will decide your monthly premiums based on these factors:
- Your body mass index (BMI): Obese and underweight people tend to have higher premiums
- Tobacco use: Your premiums will be higher if you smoke
- Age: Older people and senior citizens will have higher premiums
- Location: People who live in dangerous cities and town have higher premiums
- Cost-sharing reductions: If you qualify for this discount, your premium will be lower
- Applying as a family or individually: Family plans have lower premiums as compared to individual plans
- Pre-existing conditions: People who have pre-existing medical conditions have higher premiums.
- Gender: Women pay a higher premium on their health insurance plans as compared to men
- Insurance and medical history: If your insurance and medical history are satisfactory, you will pay a lower premium.
You can check the best health insurance in Oregon through the Oregon health insurance exchange website to find an affordable health insurance plan for you and your family.
Pros & Cons
The Pros
The Cons
Final Verdict
You can check the best health insurance in Oregon through the Oregon health insurance exchange website to find an affordable health insurance plan for you and your family
FAQs
When is Oregon open enrollment for 2021 health insurance coverage?
November 1 to December 15, 2020
Did Oregon expand Medicaid?
In 2014, the state government of Oregon increased its healthcare budget to a total of $14.4 billion. This bought another 337,417 people under Medicaid and CHIP. By 2018, almost 963,773 people in Oregon had access to Medicaid and CHIP.
Currently, more than 1 million residents of Oregon are under the Medicaid and CHIP plans
Is Health Insurance Mandatory in Oregon?
No, state health insurance is not mandatory in Oregon, but with Obamacare, even people who cannot afford private health insurance can have access to free health insurance in Oregon.
What are Short term health insurance conditions?
The short-term health insurance in Oregon covers your basic medical expenses for up to 3 months.
What is the uninsured population rate in Oregon?
Around 7 percent of the residents in Oregon are uninsured.