Oregon spending more money on health care for noncitizens than state police, budget shows

For the current biennium, about $1.5 billion is budgeted towards the Healthier Oregon program. About $717 million is budgeted towards OSP, according to the Department of State Police Legislative Adopted Budget. (SBG, FILE)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — House Republican Leader Lucetta Elmer of McMinnville spoke with KATU on Thursday about Oregon’s spending differences between health care for noncitizens and funding for the Oregon State Police (OSP).

For the 2025-27 biennium, roughly $1.2 billion is allocated to the Healthier Oregon program, according to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). By comparison, about $717 million is budgeted for OSP, according to the department’s Legislative Adopted Budget. In other words, the state plans to spend nearly twice as much on health care for noncitizens as it does on the state police.

The Healthier Oregon program is described in the OHA budget review as “an Oregon Health Plan (OHP), non-Medicaid program that covers members who meet eligibility requirements for OHP except for their citizenship status.”

KATU asked Elmer about the spending disparity, specifically why the state doesn’t fund health care for undocumented immigrants rather than leaving hospitals to cover costly emergency room visits.

Elmer responded, “Yeah, and I think you know that is a fair question and that is a good point and that’s definitely part of the conversation. But it’s not the only conversation here at hand. But what else is happening here is that this coverage to Healthier Oregon is way more than just emergency room visits. I mean, we’re talking full-on dental care, full-on health care, including preventative. We’re talking about psychiatric care.”

A spokesperson for the Oregon Health Authority added, “People with health coverage can instead focus on earning a living, raising their families, supporting the larger community and making Oregon a better place for all. Healthier Oregon enables more people to be insured and helps keep the overall cost of health care down.”

Earlier this week, Elmer called for “accountability” regarding the disparity. When asked how accountability is applied after the budget’s passage, she said, “Broadly speaking accountability is we want to make sure that we’re giving the whole story to Oregonians so they understand exactly what all these numbers mean.”

According to OHA, Healthier Oregon has provided free coverage since July 2023 to children and adults who meet income and other eligibility requirements for Medicaid, regardless of immigration status. Currently, about 105,000 people are enrolled, receiving the same physical, behavioral, and oral health benefits as traditional Medicaid, including primary care, emergency services, hospital care, and prescription medications.

Eligible participants include refugees, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) who have been in the U.S. less than five years, DACA recipients, students and work visa holders, and others who would otherwise qualify for Medicaid except for their immigration status.

OHA confirmed the 2025-27 Healthier Oregon budget is roughly $1.2 billion, with $900 million in state funds and $300 million in federal funds. The federal portion covers emergency and pregnancy care as required under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) of 1986.

The Oregon State Police also weighed in on their budget. A spokesperson said, “The Oregon State Police receives a budget each biennium as approved through the legislative process and in coordination with the Governor’s recommended budget. We are proud of our team for taking those funds and using every dollar to provide meaningful services to the communities of Oregon. Regardless of budget size, we know our team is committed to fulfilling the mission of the Oregon State Police—safeguarding life, property, and natural resources.”