Thousands fewer people are receiving health care through a Medicaid-like Oregon program that’s open to income-eligible people regardless of immigration status than were six months ago, state data shows.
Two years after its launch, the Healthier Oregon program reached peak enrollment of 107,000 people in June, according to data from the Oregon Health Authority. That includes people who have refugee status, lawful permanent residents, those enrolled in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, work or student visa holders and others who would otherwise qualify for Medicaid if it weren’t for their immigration status.
Enrollment dropped to 97,000 people in January, according to state health officials, who attributed the change to concerns about data privacy and increasing immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
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Federal health officials in June began sharing Medicaid data with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to track non-citizens in states where eligibility for the low-income health program does not depend on immigration status.
Oregon is one of five states in the U.S. that offers health care coverage for all income-eligible adults regardless of their immigration status, according to the health policy nonprofit KFF. Several other states offer similar programs to specific groups such as pregnant women, children and elderly adults.
State dollars cover most Healthier Oregon services, except for emergency health care visits, which are paid for with federal dollars.
Under federal law, hospitals must stabilize anyone needing emergency care — no matter their immigration status — and Medicaid must reimburse hospitals for this legally required care. This means that when a Healthier Oregon recipient uses an emergency service, their information is included in files shared with the federal government, OHA spokesperson Amy Bacher told the Capital Chronicle.
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Nearly half of likely undocumented immigrant adults say they have avoided seeking medical care since January 2025 because of immigration-related concerns, according to a survey from the New York Times and KFF.
The Trump administration in January rescinded a policy that previously protected hospitals, schools and places of worship against immigration enforcement.
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The post Fewer Immigrants Are Seeking Oregon Health Care Benefits Under Trump appeared first on American Renaissance.
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