Cover Oregon Update

November 27, 2013

While we still have not processed any applications through the Cover Oregon website, I am glad that the old-style technology of pen and paper is still available to fall back on.

From October 1 through November 20, Cover Oregon had received 25,439 applications. Not bad, but I am sure only a fraction of the number that would have been submitted if the website had been functioning as advertised from the start. The fact that there have been 484,342 unique website visitors during the same time frame may be a hint that this assumption is true.

If you want to get your new health insurance plan in place by January 1, the application must be postmarked by Wednesday, December 4 and the enrollment papers must be returned to Cover Oregon by December 15, 2013.

The process of enrolling small groups is still a bit of a mystery to us and we advise to wait for the next scheduled renewal date to consider the new alternatives.

On a separate but related note for Medicare eligibility: The annual open enrollment period ends on December 7. No changes to your existing MedAdvantage plans are possible after this date, except disenrolling in January. Beneficiaries turning 65 or reaching their 24^th month of being on Social Security Disability will retain their initial open enrollment dates whenever they reach those milestones year round.