CMS Blocks Oregon Medicaid Program for Incarcerated Individuals, Jeopardizing Reentry Support
Washington D.C./Oregon – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has blocked Oregon’s plan to utilize Medicaid funds to provide healthcare services to individuals nearing release from incarceration, citing concerns that such expenditures detract from Medicaid’s core mission and perhaps circumvent state budget responsibilities. The decision, announced on April 10th, has sparked criticism from Oregon officials and advocates who argue it will hinder accomplished reentry and exacerbate the opioid crisis.
The program aimed to bridge the gap in healthcare coverage experienced by incarcerated individuals who lose their Oregon Health Plan benefits upon entering jail or prison. It would have provided up to three months of pre-release services, including consultations, behavioral health counseling, addiction treatment, and prescription medications, to those eligible for Medicaid. A key component of the plan involved securing an exemption to federal policy restricting Medicaid benefits for those in correctional facilities.
Oregon officials highlighted the especially acute risk of opioid overdose for formerly incarcerated individuals in the weeks following release, citing a 2023 study demonstrating their substantially higher vulnerability. The program was seen as a crucial step towards proactively connecting individuals with necessary care and reducing preventable deaths.
“we know what happens when people leave prison without health care. We see more overdoses, untreated illness and even preventable death,” stated Angela Kim, a formerly incarcerated critical care nurse now working with the Oregon Justice Resource Center.
The CMS decision also raises concerns about the future of other initiatives aimed at addressing the opioid crisis within Oregon’s correctional system. State Representative Denise Marsh, who sponsored a program unlocking $10 million for opioid addiction assessment and medication treatment in jails, expressed worry that the lack of long-term Medicaid funding will hinder efforts to improve healthcare standards within these facilities. “Our jails struggle to provide basic care for people…that’s why we need the [Oregon Health Plan] there,” Marsh said.
The CMS agency did not immediately respond to requests for comment, citing delays due to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Source: InvestigateWest (investigatewest.org)
