2A
| FEBRUARY 18, 2021
| COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
On The Record
COVID-19 special enrollment health coverage period begins
Feb. 15 was the first day
of a COVID-19 special
enrollment period, which
lasts until May 15.
This special enrollment
period will allow people
throughout the United
States, including Orego-
nians, who are looking for
health coverage to shop at
HealthCare.gov.
The COVID-19 pan-
demic has brought signifi-
cant change to hundreds of
thousands of Oregonians,
who either lost their job
or experienced a loss in
income. As a result, these
Oregonians may be newly
eligible for financial help to
purchase health insurance.
Unlike a typical special
enrollment period, this en-
rollment period is available
to everyone, not just those
who have experienced a life
event.
Until May 15, any per-
son who is eligible to shop
through the Marketplace
may enroll in new cover-
age or change their current
plan.
Insurance agents and
community partner orga-
nizations throughout the
state are available to help
people apply for financial
assistance and choose pri-
vate plans.
People can also browse
plans and find out how
much savings they are eli-
gible for at Oregon-Health-
Care.gov/WindowShop.
Oregonians who do
not get health insurance
through their job or a pro-
gram such as the Oregon
Health Plan or Medicare
may qualify for help paying
for 2021 coverage through
the Oregon Health Insur-
ance Marketplace. Even if
people are temporarily un-
insured or are currently en-
rolled in COBRA coverage,
they can sign up for help
to get health insurance for
2021.
“The pandemic has made
life uncertain for many Or-
egonians. We want to help
you find a way to control
your finances,” said Chiqui
Flowers, administrator of
the Oregon Health Insur-
ance Marketplace. “Quality
health coverage protects
your financial future in
the event that you get sick,
injured, or something else
unforeseen happens.”
“It is true. The pandem-
ic has proven that life is
unpredictable. That can be
scary when it comes to the
health and financial securi-
ty of your family,” said Amy
Coven, communications
strategist for the Oregon
Health Insurance Market-
place. “Health coverage
brings predictability to
health needs that may arise,
as well as a wealth of bene-
fits to keep you healthy.”
Individuals
making
$51,040 or less per year,
and families of four making
$104,800 or less, may get
help paying for coverage.
In 2020, more than seven
in 10 Oregonians who chose
plans through HealthCare.
gov got financial help for
monthly premiums and
out-of-pocket costs. These
savings lowered the average
premium to just $145 per
month.
To apply, go to Oregon-
HealthCare.gov until May
15 and answer a few Ore-
gon-specific questions to
get to the right application.
You can also search the “get
help” directory on Oregon-
HealthCare.gov to find an
insurance agent or commu-
nity partner organization to
help complete the applica-
tion and enroll.
Insurance agents and
community partners pro-
vide local, one-on-one as-
sistance at no charge to the
client.
This help is available vir-
tually and over the phone,
as well as in person follow-
ing safety protocols.
The Oregon Health In-
surance Marketplace, a part
of state government, helps
people get health insur-
ance when they do not have
job-based coverage, and do
not qualify for the Oregon
Health Plan or another pro-
gram.
The Marketplace is
the state-level partner to
HealthCare.gov, and a di-
vision of the Department
of Consumer and Business
Services (DCBS). For more
information, go to Oregon-
HealthCare.gov.
State requires insurers to cover COVID-19 vaccinations
The State of Oregon
now requires health bene-
fit plans in Oregon to cov-
er costs of vaccination for
COVID-19, following an
order by state Public Health
Director Rachael Banks.
The Jan. 27 determina-
tion cites Oregon Revised
Statute 743A.264 (2) and
(3) in mandating that pri-
vate health plans operating
in Oregon not charge pa-
tients for most costs related
to providing the vaccine.
That includes the cost of
all doses of the vaccine and
associated supplies, and ex-
penses for administering
the shot, such as those re-
lated to staff time.
The Oregon Health Plan
and Medicare programs do
not charge patients for costs
of vaccinations.
“We are in the midst of
a devastating pandemic
that has affected more than
142,000 people in Oregon
and claimed almost 2,000
lives,” Banks said. “There
should be no financial bar-
rier to getting the vaccine,
whether it’s a copay or ad-
ministrative fee. Even small
costs can be a big burden
for people with limited re-
sources, particularly con-
sidering the economic chal-
lenges people have faced for
the last year.”
She said she encourages
providers to bill patients’
insurance for any vaccina-
tion costs and avoid asking
or expecting patients to
cover vaccine administra-
tion costs.
In her order, Banks points
to “[t]wo safe and effective
COVID-19 vaccines (that)
are currently approved by
the U.S. Food and Drug Ad-
ministration (FDA) under
Emergency Use Authoriza-
tion.” Both vaccines — one
made by Pfizer-BioNTech,
the other by Moderna —
“are currently available to
eligible individuals in Ore-
gon. More COVID-19 vac-
cines may become available
following clinical trials and
approval by the FDA.”
Therefore, the order con-
tinues, “having determined
there exists a disease out-
break and that vaccination
is necessary to prevent
the spread of COVID-19,
the cost of vaccination for
COVID-19 shall be covered
by insurance …”
Oregonians who have
questions about their in-
surance coverage are en-
couraged to contact their
Coordinated Care Organi-
SNAP food purchases lost to outages can be replaced
The Oregon Depart-
ment of Human Services
(ODHS) is able to replace
food purchased with SNAP
benefits if there was a loss
of food due to the recent
power outages.
Food may be replaced
for SNAP recipients who:
• Lost food due to a pow-
er outage, home damage or
other misfortune
• Make a request to re-
place the food loss within
10 days of the date the food
is destroyed in a household
misfortune.
• SNAP households that
lost or tossed food that was
unsafe to eat, can request
SNAP replacement benefits
— but they need to do so
within 10 days of the loss.
Replacement benefits are
not automatic.
More information is
available online at www.
oregon. gov/ d hs / ASSI S
TA N C E / F O O D - B E N
E F I T S / Page s / R e pl a c e -
ment%20-Benefits.aspx.
zation, insurance company
or agent.
If they still have ques-
tions or concerns, consum-
er advocates are available.
Oregon Health Plan: Call
Oregon Health Authority at
800-273-0557 (toll-free).
Commercial insurance
plans: Call the Oregon Di-
vision of Financial Regula-
tion at 888-877-4894 (toll-
free).
Medicare: Call 800-633-
4227 (toll-free).
Public Notices
The Lowest Rates in Lane County
Ludmilla White
1922-2021
On Wednesday, January
27, 2021, Ludmilla White
passed away at the age of 98.
Ludmilla was born on
August 28, 1922 in Odessa,
Ukraine to Evgenia and Wil-
hem Voigt. She attended Th e
Linguistic Institute in Odessa
majoring in German and En-
glish. She could speak, read
and write in Russian, Ukrani-
an, German and English.
Ludmilla had a diffi cult
life in the Soviet Union es-
pecially once WWII started.
When German and Russian
troops invaded, her family
decided to escape. Unfortu-
nately, this would be without
her brother, Vladimir, as he
had already been detained to
be trained as a soldier. Th ey
were refugees wandering
across Europe for two years,
eventually ending up in Ba-
varia.
Th ey were assisted by the
Red Cross but ultimately sur-
vived because of the sewing
machine they kept with them
from home. Th is allowed
them to make clothing for
people. Th e people traded
food and additional sheets
for the clothes. Th at sewing
machine kept them from
starving.
She met her husband,
Andy, a Master Sergeant in
the U.S. Army, while in Ba-
varia at a Russian/American
wedding. Th ey themselves
wed on June 22, 1948 in Ba-
varia. She immigrated to the
U.S. in 1952 and proudly be-
came an American citizen in
1957. Andy had a 26yr. mili-
tary career. Eighteen of those
years were spent in Germany
which they both enjoyed.
Th ey also lived in Southern
California from 1966-1976
when they then moved to
Cottage Grove, OR.
Ludmilla was an excellent
seamstress and needlecraft er.
She taught a sewing and craft
class through L.C.C. and the
local Senior Center for years.
She also taught a senior fi t-
ness class up until her early
90’s. She was an amazing
singer and belonged to many
choirs throughout her life.
She had a passion for garden-
ing, doll collecting and oil
painting. She enjoyed history,
traveling and was always up
for an adventure.
Ludmilla was preceded in
death by her husband, An-
derson K White, and a son,
Anderson (Gene) Eugene
White.
She is survived by three
children, Robert Dale White,
Michael Van White, Tatyana
K Munoz, seven grandchil-
dren and fi ve great grand-
children.
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C ottage G rove
Daniel S. Chapman
June 8, 1972 – February 10, 2021
Devoted to Christine
his wife of more than 20
years. Devoted to all his
children, also his brothers
J.C. and Paul Chapman;
mother and stepfather
Diane & Bob Zuvich and
father James L. Chapman.
A young man with a big
heart. We will miss you
each and every day.
You know how you want to
be remembered… but do they?
Contact: Meg Fringer
541-942-3325 x1200
mfringer@cgsentinel.com
(541) 942-0185
123 S. 7th St., Cottage Grove
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