u/SlammaJammin

https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/20/providence-oregon-health-hosital-medicaid-advantage-plan/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAR7LqBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xNzM4NDc2NDI2NzAzNzAAAR7VDf6Oz7UwKsoYXt-Wb-mw3_gdStMUjPrhnRBMilJ32sk5rTgxYaq6_BC9Vg_aem_ST-Npt1ynhJCMxNzsuM7CA

Providence has provided health insurance plans for thousands in Oregon, including many on Medicare, and has managed a large chunk of plans connected to the Oregon Health Plan.

They announced today that they are shuttering their insurance companies. They are in negotiations with a national insurance company (as yet unknown) to take over their Medicare Advantage Plans. It’s not yet clear what will happen to those on Medicaid/OHP.
Providence hospital and clinics have accepted the lion’s share of low-income Medicare and Medicaid clients. It’s unclear where these patients will go when their current plans expire at the end of this year. But it is likely to be a hot mess.

If you use SHIBA services to help you find and enroll in your Medicare plan, contact them *now* and get on their radar, even though open enrollment doesn’t begin until October.

If your doctors are based at Providence hospital and clinics, contact Providence and ask point-blank if they plan to wind down their hospital and clinics in the not-too-distance future. Keep asking until you get a clear answer in writing.

And call your state and Congressional reps to let them know how this will create serious issues for you and anyone you know on these plans. People need to speak up.

Half a dozen times in the last two months, I’ve been walking or biking and had to use a bike-ped overpass to get where I needed to go. There was literally no other option That wouldn’t take me miles out of the way.

Sometimes, the people camping will move their stuff to let me by. Sometimes they won’t and then I have to calculate the risk of asking multiple times against their possible reaction. Three weeks ago the guy refused to move his tent, told me toes off and dared me to pass. He was bigger than me and I was traveling alone, so I turned around and got out of there. I had to cancel my appointment and when I told them why they suggested I drive next time.

I don’t own a car.

Yesterday it happened again. On my way home from meeting a friend, I had to cross the circular bike-ped bridge over Going Street. A big tent and laundry wagon blocked much of the path and I could not get my bike through the narrow gap. Couple were seated on the pavement in front of the tent, both using; I could see smoke rising from a piece of tinfoil in the woman’s hand. I didn’t want to risk breathing the toxic fumes so I had to turn around and go three miles out of my way to get home.

In the past, I’ve called the police non-emergency number and either had to leave a message or was told to simply “leave the area and do not antagonize,” as they could not send none to deal with it.

And the City wants taxpayers to help pay for the Blazers to stay in town, pay a larger Arts Tax and now pay an additional fee on their utility bill, while doing *nothing* about stuff like this.

Screw the City Council and our week-assed Mayor. Screw the hard lefties who think they need to let homelessness just keep happening because of their lame Middle Class Guilt. Those of us who are scraping by on hourly wage scutwork, Social Security and/or SNAP cannot lift Portland out of this doom loop.

Even if we can vote any of these people out of office, it won’t be enough for meaningful change. Too much damage has been done and it will take *decades* to recover.

I worry that before too long, I won’t be able to leave my home because someone is blocking the door. I cant afford to move and I feel like I’m being penalized for being responsible and frugal and paying my bills on time.

Thanks for coming to my TED Rant.

Providence is winding down health insurance by end of 2026

Homeless camps blocking MUPs and overpasses