Somehow, some way, Oregon’s disastrous Obamacare exchange managed to enroll U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) in Medicaid, the public insurance program for low-income individuals and families.
The Oregonian reported Wednesday that after enrolling in private health insurance under the law, Merkley received a letter from the exchange telling him that he was enrolled in Medicaid.
“It must have been about half a year after I was on (private insurance) we suddenly got a mailing that said ‘Congratulations, you’re enrolled!'” Merkley recalled. “And I was like, ‘What? You’re crazy.'”
Senators make $174,000 per year. The threshold for expanded Medicaid coverage in Oregon under Obamacare is $31,721 for a family of four.
The Oregonian reported that the problem of double-enrollment — ineligible enrollees being placed in Medicaid — had been a recurring issue for Oregon. State officials would not immediately comment to the newspaper.
The Oregon exchange’s performance in Obamacare’s first enrollment period was so bad that the state is switching to the federal HealthCare.gov next year. The state and the company that built the exchange are currently suing each other over the failed launch.
