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Health Insurance Premium Payment Reimbursement Program (HIPP)

Help paying health insurance premiums

Do you have OHP (Medicaid) and also pay for private health insurance? You may qualify for reimbursement of your premiums through the HIPP program.

Apply online or report a change

  • If you have private health insurance and OHP, you can apply for this program.
  • Private health insurance includes insurance you get through a job, COBRA or other commercial insurance that you pay for. It is also called "third party liability" or TPL.​
  • We will review your information to see if it is cost-effective for the State to reimburse your premiums.
  • If you qualify, a reimbursement ​​check will be mailed to the policy holder each month for t​heir premium payments.​
  • This helps you keep your private insurance so you can keep seeing your current providers. It also saves the State money because the private health insurance company is billed first for your medical services.
  • When it's time to recertify, we will send you information in the mail​. Most people need to recertify every year.

This program is for people who have both OHP and private health insurance (TPL).

Anyone can apply, but premium reimbursements are only sent to the policy holder.

The policy holder doesn't have to live with the person who has OHP, as long as the policy holder is the one paying the premiums. For example, a policy holder who is paying premiums for their child can apply even if the child doesn't live with them.

Insurance requirements:

  • The private health insurance must be a comprehensive major medical policy that includes hospital, physician, lab, x-​ray and full pharmacy benefits. HIPP is not available for non-major medical policies such as dental, vision, cancer or accident only.
  • The person who has OHP can't be receiving Medicare Part A, B or C.
  • The person who has OHP can't be covered by the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or Citizen Alien Waived Emergency Medical (CAWEM).
  • The insurance can't be court ordered.
  • The policy holder can't be getting a federal tax credit for the insurance.

If you want more details, read the full program rules (OAR 410-120-1960).​

Step 1

Complete an application.

Apply online for ​HIPP

Please allow up​ to 90 days for us to process your application once we have all the materials.

Questions?

If you have questions, please email us: reimbursements.hipp@odhsoha.oregon.gov​

Step 2

We will review your application.

  • We will check to see if it is cost-effective for the State to reimburse your premiums.
  • In some cases, we consider if the person has a serious medical condition.
  • If we need more information, you will get an email or letter by USPS mail. If your private insurance is through your job, we may ask you to have your employer provide some information, too.

​ Mailings are date sensitive. If you get a letter or email, respond by the due date.​

Step 3

We will send you a letter by USPS mail to let you know if your application is approved or not.

If your application is approved:

  • Reimbursements will start the following month.
  • Checks are mailed each month directly to the policy holder.

​You need to tell us about any changes to y​our private ​insurance, including:

  • ​If your insurance ends
  • If your premium amount changes
  • ​If ​OH​P eligibility changes for anyone covered by ​your insurance​

There are two ways to report changes.




Frequently asked questions

​No. But at least one person on the insurance must be covered by OHP (​Medicaid).​

​No. HIPP reimbursements ​begin the month after you are approved.​

​The State mails a check each month as long as your insurance is active and cost-effective.

​No. Direct deposit is not available for HIPP.​

​Missing a check is rare, but could happen if there was a problem with your OHP eligibility, if your insurance ended or if we had a problem with our system.

If your check is more than a week late, email ​us at reimbursements.hipp@odhsoha.oregon.gov.

​You are required to ​report changes to your insurance.

There are two ways to report changes.

​If you get a check for insurance that is no longer active, you need to return the money.

The best thing to do is to contact us right away to let us know. Email us at reimbursements.hipp@​odhsoha.oregon.gov.

If you don't return the reimbursement, this could lead to collection activities.​

​You usually have to recertify every year, but it could be more frequent.

When it's time to recertify, we wi​ll send you ​information by USPS mail.

Contact us