Get OHP and SNAP when you move to Oregon

If you have Medicaid or a state health plan right now, it does not follow you to Oregon. Coverage from another state ends when you leave, it does not transfer.

Do this before (or right when) you move:

• Contact your current state's Medicaid program and notify them you are leaving
• Request to close your coverage, it typically ends at the end of the month you notify them
• Get a letter or confirmation number for your records

Then apply for OHP in Oregon right away. If you get approved, OHP can be backdated to your application date, so applying fast means fewer coverage gaps.

💡 If you're mid-treatment (HRT, mental health, surgery recovery), ask your current providers for a 90-day supply of prescriptions before you leave if possible. Oregon will take 30 to 45 days to process your OHP application.

To qualify for OHP and SNAP, you need to be an Oregon resident. There is no minimum time you have to have lived here, you just need a current Oregon address.

Any of these count:

• A friend or family member's address
• A shelter address
• A transitional or temporary housing address
• A WERQ TOGETHER case mailing address (ask your navigator)

If you are unhoused or don't have a stable address yet, you can still apply. You'll need to provide a signed statement about your situation, Oregon DHS accepts this.

🏳️‍⚧️ Trans-specific note: If you're moving because of safety concerns in your previous state, you can apply for OHP before you have a permanent address. The system is designed for people in transition.

The ONE Oregon application can't be paused and resumed easily mid-section, so it helps to have everything in front of you before you start.

Have ready:

• Full legal name and date of birth for everyone in your household
• Social Security Numbers for those who have them (not required for all programs)
• Your Oregon mailing address
• Income information, pay stubs, unemployment letters, SSA award letters, or self-attestation for gig work
• Monthly expenses, rent/mortgage amount and utilities
• Immigration or naturalization documents if applicable (OHP now covers people regardless of immigration status, documents help determine which program applies)
• Information about any other health coverage you currently have

You do NOT need:

• A driver's license or Oregon ID
• A fixed address (a shelter or friend's address is fine)
• Documentation of your gender identity

🏳️‍⚧️ About your name and gender: The ONE Oregon system has a field for both "sex assigned at birth" and "current or identified gender." You can use your identified gender and preferred name throughout. Staff are required to use your correct name and pronouns if you ask. If you run into any issues, call OHP Customer Service: 800-699-9075.

The Oregon Eligibility (ONE) system at one.oregon.gov is your single starting point. One account, one application covers:

• OHP (health coverage)
• SNAP (food / EBT / Oregon Trail Card)
• TANF (cash assistance)
• ERDC (child care assistance)

Steps to apply:

1. Go to one.oregon.gov
2. Click "Apply Now" or "Sign In" → "Create Account"
3. Fill in: legal name, email, username, password (must be 12 to 24 characters, 1 uppercase letter), Oregon mailing address
4. Complete the CAPTCHA and identity verification questions
5. From your dashboard, click "Apply Now" and select all benefits you want, OHP AND SNAP together
6. Work through the sections in order: household, income, expenses, residency

⚠️ The application must be completed in sequence, you can't skip ahead. Set aside 30 to 60 minutes.

📱 There's also a free Oregon ONE Mobile app (iOS and Android), useful for uploading documents, checking status, and getting alerts without a computer.

Can't do it online? Call 800-699-9075 (Mon to Fri 7am to 6pm PT). Lowest hold times: 7 to 8am. Free interpretation is available in many languages. You can also apply in person at any ODHS Self-Sufficiency office, find yours at oregon.gov/odhs.

If the application feels overwhelming, you don't have to do it alone. Certified OHP application assisters can walk you through the whole thing, for free.

Find one near you: OregonHealthCare.gov/GetHelp

Community orgs with application help:

• Project Access NOW: 230+ language capacity, serves anyone
• IRCO (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization): for immigrants/refugees, 10+ languages
• NAYA (Native American Youth and Family Center): serves Native families
• Urban League of Portland: Black community navigation
• Community Action programs: county by county, walk-in help available

🏳️‍⚧️ If calling or going in person feels higher-stakes due to misgendering risk, request an in-person navigator who can sit with you. You are legally protected from discrimination in the application process.

After you submit your SNAP application, Oregon DHS will contact you to schedule a required interview before they can approve benefits. This is a normal part of the process, not a red flag.

What to know:

• DHS may call from a blocked or restricted number: pick up every call during this period
• The interview can be done by phone or in person
• It typically lasts about 30 minutes
• They'll confirm your identity, household members, income, rent, and utilities
• They may ask you to upload or fax additional documents through your ONE dashboard

If you need an interpreter: request one for free at the start of the call (800-699-9075).

Timeline: Your interview should happen within 20 days of filing. SNAP processing takes up to 30 days total.

Expedited SNAP (7 days): If your household has less than $150/month in income AND less than $100 in liquid resources, OR your housing costs exceed your income, you likely qualify for emergency SNAP within 7 days. Tell them this at the start of the interview or when you apply.

SNAP processing takes up to 30 days. There's no reason to go hungry in the meantime. Community food resources are available right now, no benefits card needed.

Trans-centered options:

• Food 4 QTs (WERQ TOGETHER): monthly grocery delivery for trans community members
• Hand Up Project / People's Pantry: Portland's only LGBTQIA2S+-run food pantry, no ID required
• Mis Tacones: Trans People of Color eat free

Pantries + meal programs:

• Oregon Food Bank network: 1,200+ partner sites, no income documentation required; find nearest at foodfinder.oregonfoodbank.org or call 211
• Blanchet House: 1,000+ free hot meals daily, Monday, Saturday, Old Town Portland
• Potluck in the Park: Sunday free hot meals at NW Park Blocks
• Sunshine Division: home-delivered food boxes

Call 211 (or text your ZIP to 898-211) to find food, housing, and benefits resources near you.

Once OHP approves you, you'll receive an OHP coverage letter and an Oregon Health ID card. You'll be automatically assigned to a Coordinated Care Organization (CCO): your local network of doctors, dentists, counselors, and other providers.

For Portland Metro (Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas counties):

• Health Share of Oregon: 888-519-3845 | healthshareoregon.org
• Trillium Community Health Plan: 877-600-5472 | trilliumohp.com

First things to do:

1. Call your CCO to confirm your enrollment and find in-network providers
2. Set up a primary care provider (PCP): your first point of contact for most health needs
3. For gender-affirming care: ask your CCO specifically for their gender-affirming care navigator or coordinator

OHP covers gender-affirming care as a legal right under Oregon law (ORS 414.769). Your CCO cannot place unreasonable delays on gender-affirming treatment. If you run into issues:

• OHA Client Services: 1-800-273-0557 | Ask.OHP@odhsoha.oregon.gov
• OHA Ombuds (complaints/appeals): 1-877-642-0450

What OHP covers (at no cost to you): primary care, prescriptions, dental, mental health, substance use treatment, HRT, puberty blockers, top surgery, bottom surgery, electrolysis, lab work, NEMT transportation to appointments, and more.

Once SNAP approves you, an Oregon Trail EBT card (Oregon Trail Card) will arrive in the mail in 3 to 5 business days.

In a hurry? Visit any ODHS field office in person with a photo ID, they can issue your card on the spot.

How EBT benefits load:

• Benefits load to your card monthly, between the 1st and 9th, based on the last digit of your Social Security Number
• If you have no SSN, benefits load on the 1st

Where you can use your EBT card:

• Most grocery stores and supermarkets
• Farmers markets (many participate in Double Up Food Bucks, doubles your purchasing power on fruits and vegetables)
• Some pharmacies for eligible food items
• Not for hot/prepared foods at most locations

Midway through your benefit period: you'll receive a Periodic Report to complete to keep your benefits. Fill it out and return it, missing this is one of the most common reasons people lose SNAP.

The #1 reason people lose OHP and SNAP benefits is missing renewal paperwork, not losing eligibility.

Set up now so you don't lose benefits later:

• A reliable email address connected to your ONE Oregon account
• The Oregon ONE Mobile app (iOS / Android), you'll get alerts about renewals, documents needed, and benefit status
• A calendar reminder 60 days before your renewal date (OHP renews annually; SNAP every 6 to 12 months)
• A stable mailing address, if your housing is unstable, a WERQ navigator can help you set up a care address

Report changes within 10 days:

• Income changes (up or down)
• New household members
• Address change
• Change in health coverage

How to report: online at one.oregon.gov | phone 800-699-9075 | fax 503-378-5628 | mail to ONE Customer Service Center, PO Box 14015, Salem OR 97309

Work requirements update (2026):

• OHP: New federal work requirements are being phased in from late 2026 to 2028 for adults 19 to 64. Many exemptions apply. Check OHP.Oregon.gov/federal-changes for the latest.
• SNAP: New ABAWD rules now apply statewide. If you're 18 to 64 without children in your household, you may need to document 80+ hours/month of work, training, or volunteering. Ask your caseworker about exemptions if this applies to you.

Your rights as a trans OHP member: Oregon law prohibits OHP from denying medically necessary gender-affirming care. If you're denied anything, call OHA Ombuds at 1-877-642-0450.