State Board to Cover Oregon: Drop Dead

Oregon will move its health-insurance exchange to federal website

Cover Oregon ad from 2013

The state of Oregon is dumping its failed health-insurance exchange Cover Oregon and joining the federal website, the Associated Press reports.

The vote by the Cover Oregon board this morning comes after the state spent $248 million on its exchange, without ever signing up a single customer through its website.

Oregon becomes the first state to abandon its online health-care exchange for the federal system.

The AP writes:

The Washington Post reported Thursday that federal officials had decided to take control of Cover Oregon, even before state officials reached a decision.

Willamette Week

Aaron Mesh

Aaron Mesh is WW's editor. He’s a Florida man who enjoys waterfalls, Trail Blazers basketball and Brutalist architecture.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office.

Help us dig deeper.