SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has approved an expansion of an Oregon Department of Human Services program that will give seniors and people with disabilities more options for assistance to continue living independently in their own homes.
This approval allows the ODHS Office of Aging and Disability to launch a new version of the Oregon Project Independence program supported by Medicaid funds. The program expansion will begin by providing services to individuals awaiting assistance from OPI. New applications for services could be accepted as early as spring 2025.
Gaining CMS approval for this expansion marks a major step forward for ODHS as it strives to implement innovative solutions to provide more choices to Oregonians. Introduced in Oregon in 1975, OPI was one of the first programs of its kind. The program has expanded and remains one of only a few similar programs nationwide.
“ODHS is committed to providing Oregonians with the options that best fit their needs, and for many, the expansion of Oregon Project Independence means they will be able to continue living in their current homes for years to come,” said APD Chief Nakeshia Knight Coyle.
Camille Dobson, deputy executive director of ADvancing States, added, “Oregon joins several states that have received Medicaid funds to support individuals who do not meet Medicaid eligibility requirements but who need limited assistance to live independently in their communities. As a national association representing state aging and disability agencies, we are encouraged that CMS is recognizing these needs and hope other states with similar programs will follow Oregon’s lead.”
The new program, called Oregon Project Independence-Medicaid (OPI-M), would:
Gives seniors the option to receive Medicaid-funded services without estate recovery obligations after the recipient’s death. Estate recovery requires that assets left behind by an individual after death be used to pay for the services received. Eliminating estate recovery supports ODHS’s goal of finding ways to help families achieve financial stability by allowing savings to be passed down from generation to generation. It also raises the income limits for individuals to qualify for Medicaid-funded services and supports, which means more people will be eligible for in-home services and supports.
Eligibility for OPI-M is available to disabled adults age 18 and older, as well as individuals age 60 and older who meet certain criteria, including income and asset limits.
Those who receive OPI-M can receive in-home services, such as in-home support and personal care services, adult day services, delivered meals, assisted transportation and assistive technology.
While Oregon’s original OPI may require participants to pay a fee to participate, OPI-M services are covered entirely by Medicaid funds, participants do not have to pay a fee to receive services, and are not subject to estate recovery after death.
Those who were originally enrolled in the state-funded OPI and choose to remain in that program will continue to receive approved services, ensuring continuity of care, as will those who choose to transition to OPI-M, the Medicaid-funded program.
“Oregon Project Independence Medicaid will open the door to more seniors and people with disabilities getting the help they need without the burden of fees and collections that can be a barrier to accessing assistance for some people and contribute to intergenerational poverty,” said Jane Ellen Weidantz, deputy director of policy for the Oregon State Police, who led the development of OPI-M.
For more information about OPI-M, visit https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/providers-partners/seniors-disabilities/pages/1115-demonstration-waiver.aspx.
About the ODHS Office of Aging and Disability: APD’s vision is to ensure that Oregon’s older adults, people with disabilities and their families experience innovative, person-centered services, supports and early interventions that help them maintain independence, promote safety and health, honor their choices, respect their cultural preferences and maintain their dignity.