Reentry Benefits to Help People Who Are Incarcerated Get Health Coverage Before and After Release
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, Oregon will begin providing certain Oregon Health Plan (OHP) benefits to adults and youth transitioning out of state prisons, county jails, state and county youth correctional facilities and county detention centers.
The reentry benefits will cover services to support successful reentry into the community. Adults and youth in custody can get the benefits starting 90 days before their release.
These benefits will be available at facilities that choose to participate. Facilities will begin offering reentry benefits at different times. Some facilities will start providing these benefits Jan. 1, 2026. Others will begin offering these services through July 2027, based on capacity and operational support.
By federal law, when people enter incarceration, they're not allowed to be enrolled in OHP. They get health care services from the facility where they are incarcerated.
Transitioning back to the community after incarceration can be a stressful and confusing time. Currently, when an individual is released from a facility, they have to reenroll in OHP. It can take up to 30 days for their OHP benefits to start. This delay can affect their ability to:
- Get medications
- Connect to providers
- Receive physical, mental health and substance use treatment
Leading to:
- Increased overdoses
- Suicides
- Emergency department visits
- Other negative outcomes, including incarceration
The goal for these benefits is to connect individuals to services and improve health outcomes during this important transition period. With these benefits, people can enroll in OHP and get services up to 90 days before their release.
Incarcerated people who are:
- In custody at a facility that offers reentry benefits
- Eligible for OHP
- Going to be released in 90 days
Facilities can choose whether to provide the reentry benefits.
However, all facilities will need to meet the Federal Consolidated Appropriations Act (FCAA) requirements. Starting January 2026, the federal government will require correctional facilities to provide eligible incarcerated people up to age 21, or up to age 26 for youth previously in foster care, with certain Medicaid benefits.
Starting 30 days before release, facilities must offer:
- Preventive health screenings and diagnostics required by Medicaid's Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT)
- Behavioral health screening
- Case management
- Post-release care coordination and service monitoring (finding health care providers, scheduling appointments, etc.)