Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 2013)
I FOUR - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, November 20,2013 COVER OREGON CRUMBLES -Continuedfrom PAGE ONE to O re g o n In s u ra n c e C o m m is s io n e r L a u ra Cali, about five percent of Oregonians buy individual health plans for various reasons. About 145,000 of those will need to shop for new coverage after receiving letters from their insurance providers stating that their plans will be cancelled as o f Dec. 31, 2013 because they don’t meet minimum coverage requirem ents under the ACA. A nother 193,000 O regonians are covered by small employer plans that will not be renewed, many also ending as soon as Dec. 31. W ith th e w e b s ite and its online enrollment unavailable, navigating the exchange and its 19-page application has become more difficult and time- consuming. State officials have told Oregonians who need coverage to fill out paper applications and send them in to receive help signing up for insurance. Morrow County Health District is currently helping county residents with that process. “We’re just at the same spot as the rest of the state, having to do it by paper,” said Elizabeth Peterson, S u p erv iso r o f P a tie n t Business Office at MCHD. “We’re still providing our clien ts w ith paper a p p lic a tio n s , we can help them fill them out if they like, and we take responsibility for getting them to the state. We’re faxing them and, whatever we can’t get faxed we’ll send out, because their fax lines are busy,” she said, adding that staff at the health district has had to fax applications after hours because they can’t get through during the day. “We submit the paper applications, they work them up and send them back, the client has to figure out what plan they want, then it gets sent back to Cover Oregon. This all has to be done by Dec. 15 to get it completed by Jan. 1, and that affects people that have been notified that their coverage doesn’t meet Oregon standards,” said Peterson. Peterson added that people who, for instance, have only catastrophic insurance or carry high deductibles don't meet the state guidelines. Many of those have received notice that their insurance will end Dec. 31. “Those people will have a break in insurance if that process isn’t complete by Dec. 15,” she said. Peterson said the health district has only had around 20 individuals come to them for assistance. She says this number concerns her, because she believes there are more people in Morrow County who need help and she’s not sure they know they can turn to the MCHD. She says this is, in part, because the Cover Oregon website fails to list Morrow County Health District as a community partner, which it is. The district has been doing what it can to bridge the gap and let people know help is available. “ We’re trying to let people know by word of mouth,” she said. The state announced recently that it will hire or reassign 400 people to process those insurance applications by hand. While state officials haven’t been able to give a date by which the website exchange will be up and running, Oregonians have had to proceed with enrollment under the current Obamacaredeadline. Locally, Peterson said the paperwork itself isn't the difficult part. “The actual paperwork is very sim ilar to what we have to fill out for M edicaid and H ealthy Kids right now,” she said, saying the difficulty lay in communication and delays at the state level. With no fix in sight, i n d i v id u a l s an d th e organizations helping them, like the health district, have to plug along as best they can under current conditions. “1 don’t know how long (it will be),” said Peterson. “ It sounds like they have to have these 400 people to help process it. We’re on a...deadline here.” In resp o n se to the p ro b le m s w ith C o v er Oregon, as well as President O bam a’s announcem ent T h u rsd ay th a t fed eral regulators w ould allow states to decide whether insurers can extend plans that were in effect Oct. 31, Cali announced last week that she is giving insurance companies the option to extend health plans in the individual and small groups market for up to a year, to Dec. 31,2014. “If an insurer chooses to offer extensions, it will need to notify the Oregon Insurance D ivision and contact customers directly about their options,” Cali said. The c a v e a t to th e e x te n s io n is w h e th e r insurance companies who have a lre ad y sen t out cancellation letters will Don’t forget to order early for Thanksgiving Cornucopias & Table centerpieces Both starting at $30.00 Fall Cash & Carry arrangement Special - Pick out of cooler and take it with you for a discounted price GO MUSTANGS! GET YOUR MUSTANG GEAR BEFORE THE BIG GAME want to turn around and issue extensions, or whether those consumers will still be left out in the cold. “ I w ould d efinitely check with my insurance company,” said Peterson, adding that, though the state will allow the extension, not all insurance companies may decide to issue them. Despite the announcements by Obama and Cali, Peterson said it is business as usual as the health district tries to help people meet the deadline. “ We got word from Cover Oregon late Friday saying to keep enrolling people, so that’s what we’re doing,” she said. “They’re saying it could take up to 45 days (to process all these applications), but they’re still telling us to meet the Dec. 15 deadline.” P ete rso n also said that people fillin g out applications do need to be sure their chosen plan covers their local healthcare providers, since not all plans on Cover Oregon cover all providers in Oregon. In fact, she said, one o f the questions on the application is, “Do you want a plan that covers your primary care?” Meanwhile, at Morrow County Health D istrict, Peterson said it as “business as usual” as they try to help customers navigate the waters of Obamacare, doing everything they can, she says, to make sure those who need help get it. "We are definitely here to help even though it’s a manual process,” Peterson said. “We’re going to make sure those applications get to the state.” Morrow County Health D istrict is offering free a ssista n c e th ro u g h o u t Morrow County to help area residents navigate the Cover Oregon insurance marketplace. To schedule an appointment, call 541- 676-9133 or 1-800-737- 4113. Mini wine tasting * Wish list registry * ATTENTION MEDICARE PATIENTS OPEN ENROLLMENT IS NOW THROUGH DECEMBER 7, 2013 ^ Miutojj'i D m ~ 217 North Mam St H eppner • Phone 676-9158 • FtoraH 676-9426 Serving Morrow, Wheeler & Gilliam counties Since 1959 \ Beginning Nov. 1 and continuing until Dec. 13, each Com m unity Bank branch is conducting the Change for Charity Drive. T he H e p p n e r b ra n c h will collect funds for the Neighborhood Center. The program is an effort to collect funds from the community, to be used in that same community. Community Bank matches .50 on every dollar, up to $5,000. In the previous three years of the program structured in this way, over $52,100 has been given to charities in Eastern Oregon and Southeast Washington. Each branch manager has selected a local charity that directly benefits the citizens in the area. Last year was the first year of the charity drive where the bank’s contribution reached the $5,000 mark. Also, two regions of the bank will compete to raise the most money for their charities. Community Bank donates an extra $1,000 to the charities in the region where the most donations are co llected ; M orrow County is in Region 2. T h e t o t a l fu n d s collected will be calculated after Dec. 13, when the w inning region will be determined. All branches will have donation ja rs available through Dec. 13. Coins, b ills and c h e c k s are accepted. For questions about the drive, contact the local Community Bank branch manager. ‘A Christmas Carol’ to be held at lone A special theatrical p re s e n ta tio n o f “ A Christmas Carol” will be held at the lone Community School for students and the public on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 2:30 p.m. The program will be presented by the nationally- a c c la im e d T r a v e lin g Lantern Theater Co. and is sponsored by the lone Public Library and Libraries of Eastern Oregon (LEO). “A Christmas Carol” is the classic tale o f a m ise r’s redem ption. In this theatrical adaptation, E benezer Scrooge is a mean old man who cares for nothing other than his money. His one-and-only friend visits him as a ghost and starts him on a journey that melts his icy heart and teaches him the joys of caring for, and giving to, others. The Traveling Lantern Co., based in Portland, has presented perform ances for the past 19 years at civic cen ters, schools and libraries nationwide, following tradition and style from the M iddle Ages, when small traveling troupes of actors toured the countryside. Each production team o f the theater company travels in a vehicle equipped with all props and costumes needed to quickly set up and take down. For further information, see www.travelinglantem. com , or co n tact Anne The Traveling Lantern Co. of Portland will present “A Christmas Carol” at lone Community School on Dec. 5. - Contributed photo Morter at the lone Public leolibraries@gmail.com. L ibrary or Lyn C raig, Bank of Eastern Oregon announces dividend for 2013 B an k o f E a s te r n A ccording to board Oregon announced its 2013 chairman Bob Armstrong, shareholder dividend last “ BEO Bancorp has paid Wednesday. a dividend 27 o f “I am pleased the past 28 years. to announce that the D iv id ends are a board of directors reflectio n o f the o f BEO Bancorp financial stability has voted to declare and profitability of a $0.55 per share the bank. We are dividend for 2013. very happy to be JefT Bailey The dividend will be able to provide this paid to shareholders d iv id e n d to our o f record as of Nov. 29, shareholders.” 2013, payable on or before “The dividend of $0.55 December 15, 2013,” said per share is 10 percent President and CEO Jeff higher than last y e a r’s Bailey. d iv id en d o f $0.50 per share and is indicative of Bank of Eastern Oregon’s strong capital position,” said Bailey. “Most of the lingering effects o f the prolonged ‘great recession’ are behind us. “The board of directors and employees work hard to improve the overall strength of the bank, add value to our shareholders, as well as provide the brand of banking that our customers appreciate and expect from Bank of Eastern Oregon. We continue to look for opportunities to expand our market share in eastern Oregon.” Bailey concluded the announcement by saying, “ T he s u p p o rt o f our shareholders, communities, and e m p lo y e e s have made it possible for us to succeed. We are pleased to be in a position to provide this dividend to our shareholders.” For further information on the company or to access internet banking, visit the w ebsite at http://w w w . beobank.com. lone students to sell Christmas trees, wreaths T he lo n e s c h o o l horticulture class will begin selling Christmas trees and wreaths during the week following Thanksgiving. Hours are Dec. 2-5 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. till noon; and Dec. 8 from 1-3 p.m. D o u g la s F irs and Nobles will range in price from $40-$80, with wreaths starting at $25. All trees and wreaths will be at the lone school greenhouse. Some delivery is available. Contact Erin Heideman at 541-422-7131 or erin. heideman@ione.k 12.or.us for more information. Christmas tree permits available Pendleton, Oregon— Christmas tree permits for the Umatilla National Forest are now available at all forest offices and at several local businesses. Permits are valid on National Forest System lands only. P e rm i t s c a n be p u rchased for $5 each and are lim ited to one per household. Christmas tree perm its and forest maps are available during re g u la r o ffic e h o u rs, Monday through Friday, at the U m atilla Ranger District offices in Ukiah - OPEN HOUSE - D E C E M B E R 5TH Open until 7pm! Bank’s Change for Charity Drive to benefit local charity pS)Y and Heppner, as well as and Walla Walla and Pomeroy, Washington. Local businesses will be set up to sell Christmas tree permits by Friday, Nov. 22 and include Heppner Shell, Heppner, as well as R hode’s Supply and Granny’s Store, Ukiah. M ore in fo rm a tio n about Christmas tree cutting permits and road conditions can be obtained by calling local Forest Service offices and visiting the forest website at www.fs.usda. gov/umatilla. Sunday, November 24 lone at 5:00 p.m. library St. Patrick’s Parish Hail board to Bobby Harris will lead discussion following the play; Father Gerry Condon will direct. Coffee and punch will be served following the discussion. Admission is free. Evervone is welcome. I meet T he lo n e L ib ra ry District Board of Directors w ill hold its m onthly m eetin g on T hursday, Nov. 21, at 2:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the lone Public Library, 385 W. 2nd Street, lone. The public is welcome to attend. 1
