DCBS community engagement: Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace

Target populations:

• Priority counties were determined based on last year’s enrollment data:
• Counties with more than 7,000 advance premium tax credits (APTC)-eligible people who are not yet enrolled: Jackson, Lane, Marion, Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties.
• Counties with more than 5,000 APTC-eligible people and retained a relatively low percent of enrollments between 2019 and 2020 open enrollments: Columbia, Lincoln, Clatsop, Tillamook, Yamhill, and Polk counties.
• Outreach for 2020 had an additional focus on the following communities: Latino, millennial, LGBTQ+, African American, Russian, and men.

Regional outreach:

• The Outreach Team divides the state into six regions: Portland metro, north coast, southwest Oregon, Willamette Valley, eastern Oregon, and central Oregon.
• The team also offered statewide Latino outreach with a dedicated Outreach Team member.
• Team members developed an individual strategic plan for their region to align with the outreach goals. The individual plans are tailored to the culture and demographics in each region and are mindful of target populations and counties.
• Plans included events, outreach to colleges, legislative outreach, social media, regional training, project work, and planning presentations to be held throughout the 2020 calendar year.
• The team offers training to the public: From March through August, the team conducts Building Blocks presentations, which cover how to understand and use health insurance plans. From September to December, the team conducts Health Insurance 101 presentations, which explain eligibility and how to enroll.
• The team provides training to community partners around the state that help people enroll in qualified health plans. The Marketplace trained 1,267 community partners and 301 organizations. The trainings are offered in both English and Spanish to community partners that serve underserved populations.
• The Marketplace provides grants to community partners to help people enroll and determine if they are eligible for the Marketplace.
• The Marketplace maintains a partner agent program with 29 partner agents.
• Team members attend and co-facilitate monthly agent and community partner collaborative meetings in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority and Department of Human Services.

General outreach:

• Work with Employment Department and WorkSource Oregon to support dislocated workers in Oregon to explain health insurance coverage and options
• Outreach to women: Oregon wedding showcases and Portland’s Women’s Expo
• Attend service integrations team meetings throughout the state
• Outreach to families: BabyFest Northwest and Summer in the Park events
• Oregon veterans events
• Race Against Child Abuse: St. Helens
• Healthier You Expo: Newport
• Falls City Community Night Resource Fair: Falls City
• I love MOM Family Expo: Keizer
• Salem Community Markets: Farmers Market, West Salem
• Eugene Health and Wellness Expo
• Hood River Harvest Fest

Outreach to millennials:

• Regional outreach coordinators work with colleges in their area to support resource and health fair events
• Attend Comic Cons throughout the state with a large millennial crowd
• Social media presence in form of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter YouTube, and Facebook Live presentations
• Wizard World Comic Con: Portland
• Latino Basketball Tournament, Willamette University: Salem
• Family Expo and Day Camp Fair: Tigard
• Pacific City Hood to Coast Race: Pacific City
• OSU juntos Familia Weekend: Corvallis
• Commit to Be Fit- Health Fair: McMinnville
• Dallas Family Fun Night Out: Dallas

Outreach to underserved communities:

1. Designated outreach and education coordinator for Latino communities.
2. Contract with outreach contractor to support underserved communities, including faith-based outreach and outreach in communities of color.
3. Statewide contracts with community partners that serve underserved populations. Partners for the last biennium included 1,524 application assisters.
4. Work with Worship in Pink to support outreach and enrollment.

Some events Marketplace attended for underserved populations:

• OACE Conference- Tribal Event: Grand Ronde
• Noche De Information: Klamath Falls
• Festival de Cine de Oro Mexicano: Hillsboro
• Hispanic Round Table: Portland
• Milagros Showcase Art Show: Portland
• Asian Celebration Festival: Eugene
• Conuslado Movil Mexicano: Medford
• Dia de los Niños 2019 children literacy festival: Hood River
• Dia del Nino: Woodburn High School
• Noche de Pelicula: Tillamook
• Grand Ronde Family Night Out
• Portland Slavic Festival
• COFA enrollment events, Pacific Islanders: LaGrande
• Black Nativity/PassinArt: Portland

Outreach to rural Oregon:

• Oregon Winterfest: Bend
• Linn County Expo Center Sportsman Show: Albany
• Cherry Festival: The Dalles
• Oregon Ag. Festival: Salem
• Sherman County Family Fair: Moro
• Bite of Bend
• Grant County Health Fair: John Day
• Mercado del Valle-Festival: Odell
• Marisol Family Health Fair: Hermiston
• Munch & Music: Bend/Redmond
• Wallowa County Fair: Enterprise
• Hermiston Farm Workers Celebration Fair
• Coos Bay Blackberry Arts Festival
• Ontario Farm Workers Celebration
• Madras Latino Festival
• 36th Annual Rural Health Conference: Bend
• Consulado Mexicano Health Fair: Umatilla

Dedicated support staff:

• Two community partner and tribal liaison staff members are dedicated to support community partners that help the Marketplace with outreach and enrollment. These staff members also support Oregon tribes.
• Two agent and small business liaisons support health insurance agents in Oregon, as well as work with small business on health insurance options.

2021-2023 goal

Secure permanent outreach and education coordinators to support all regions, including Latino outreach throughout the state to maintain relationships and to support equity in outreach and education.