Washington, DC – The State of Oregon has announced that it is withdrawing a controversial policy through which it has limited medically necessary services to 400,000 low-income and underserved children throughout the State. For decades, Oregon has been the only state to have obtained broad permission from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ignore the Medicaid Act’s robust Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefits for children and youth under age 21. Sustained pressure from parents, providers, and advocates led the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to abandon its plan to renew the policy.
Oregon’s decision to reinstate EPSDT coverage is a victory for children and families across the State
“EPSDT services are critical in providing the routine and preventive care necessary to identify and treat childhood health conditions before they become serious or debilitating. Today’s move by the Oregon Health Authority will open up access to treatment that children need. For too long, low-income families in Oregon have been forced to pay out of pocket or go without important health care because the Oregon Health Plan didn’t have full EPSDT coverage,” said Beth Englander, State Support Unit Attorney at the Oregon Law Center. “We deeply appreciate that the leadership at Oregon Health Authority is honoring their commitment to health and health equity and stopping the practice of limiting medically necessary health care for children in Oregon.”
“Oregon’s decision to reinstate EPSDT coverage is a victory for children and families across the State, particularly children with disabilities and also children of color, who have been disproportionately impacted by this policy,” said Jane Perkins, Legal Director at the National Health Law Program. “This is a great example of how state-based advocates and national partners can work together to effect meaningful change. The National Health Law Program is proud of our Health Law Partnership with the Oregon Law Center. Working together and along with other state and national partners and advocates, we’ve been able to convince Oregon’s policymakers that access to vital EPSDT services is the best way to ensure that children in Oregon have access to the right care at the right time.”
