CORE launches multi-year evaluation of Oregon’s Medicaid demonstration waiver
- The Center for Outcomes Research & Education (CORE) has been selected to lead the evaluation of Oregon's 2022-2027 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver.
- CORE will implement a plan to evaluate the efficacy of four new policies designed to address some of the complex challenges facing many of the state's underserved residents.
- CORE brings over two decades of experience studying Oregon's Medicaid policies, programs, and the experiences of Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) members.
2025 marks the beginning of an exciting multi-year project at the CORE, focused on evaluating Oregon’s 2022-2027 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver. The waiver, issued by the Federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), allows the state to test new policies aimed at promoting Medicaid objectives such as improving consistent access to needed care and improving health outcomes.
Oregon has a national reputation as a pioneer in the Medicaid space and CORE has a long history of studying Oregon’s Medicaid policies. CORE’s evaluation of the state’s 2022-2027 Waiver will examine the efficacy of four new policies intended to maximize continuous and consistent access to coverage, improve health through focused investments that address health-related social needs, and support population health. The project will be conducted in partnership with the OHSU Center for Health System Effectiveness (CHSE) and with consultation from the Oregon Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Needs (OCCYSHN).
Read on to learn about the project, or visit OHA’s website to learn more about the waiver.
Examining new approaches to supporting underserved Oregonians
Today, Oregon continues to explore evidence-based approaches to improving care and outcomes through the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). The 2022-2027 demonstration builds on the state’s previous efforts, focusing on meaningful progress toward health equity. In particular, it aims to address some of the complex challenges facing many of its underserved residents, including:
- Adults transitioning to dual Medicaid-Medicare enrollment
The evaluation led by CORE will focus on several specific policy innovations, including:
“CORE is thrilled to partner with CHSE to evaluate Oregon’s latest Medicaid policy innovations,” says Keri Vartanian, Director of CORE. “By examining the impacts of these new policies and practices, we hope to build evidence around what works and what doesn’t for better meeting the needs of underserved community members in Oregon and beyond.”
A history of Medicaid policy research
CORE brings over two decades of experience studying OHP policies, programs, and the experiences of OHP members. That includes research on the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment, which looked at the impacts of Medicaid coverage on various aspects of people’s lives and healthcare engagement; the Life Experiences Study, which examined connections between life experiences and health outcomes of people enrolled in Medicaid; and the Tri-County Health Commons Project, which tested ideas for improving care and controlling costs in Medicaid with Oregon’s largest Coordinated Care Organization.
“CORE’s experience studying not just what works in Medicaid, but what works for our state’s diverse communities and under what conditions, makes them an ideal partner to lead the evaluation of Oregon’s 2022-2027 1115 Demonstration Waiver," says Emma Sandoe, Medical Director, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). "We look forward to collaborating with and learning from CORE and our other evaluation partners as we continue working to deliver better access to care, improve health outcomes, and lower costs through the Oregon Health Plan.”
The OHA initially engaged CORE to design the 2022-2027 evaluation. The evaluation design was approved by CMS in December 2024. Read more about that work in our blog. In August, OHA selected CORE to lead the implementation of this multi-year evaluation in partnership with CHSE, a Portland-based team that brings extensive waiver evaluation experience. CORE will also work with OCCYSHN to support our evaluation work on the waiver’s YSHCN-focused policies.
Related resources:
- Examining an innovative "housing as healthcare" Medicaid benefit
- Oregon Health Authority 2022-2027 Medicaid Evaluation Waiver webpage
- CORE selected to create an evaluation design for Oregon's 2022-2027 Medicaid waiver
About CORE
The Center for Outcomes Research & Education (CORE) is an independent team of scientists, researchers, and data experts with a vision for a healthier, more equitable future. We work with communities and a wide variety of cross-sector partners to take on today’s biggest barriers to better health and deliver insights that help shape and sustain healthier systems, policies, programs, and people. Learn more at http://providenceoregon.org/CORE
About the Oregon Health Plan
The Oregon Health Plan (OHP) is Oregon's medical assistance program. It provides health care coverage for people from all walks of life. This includes working families, children, pregnant adults, single adults and seniors. Learn more at https://www.oregon.gov/oha/hsd/ohp/pages/index.aspx
