Health Related Social Needs

Some Health Share members can get extra benefits to help with big life changes for housing, food, or weather events. These benefits are called Health Related Social Needs (HRSN).

Click the quick links below to jump to each section:

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Who can get benefits?
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How benefits work
Flexible Services
Housing Support
Nutrition Support

HRSN benefits include

  • Home Changes for Health During Extreme Weather: Devices to help you stay safe in storms, heat waves, or very cold days.

  • Housing support: Help you stay in your home.

  • Nutrition support: Help with food benefits and eating healthy.

Housing Support

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Who Can Get these Benefits?

Not all members will qualify for HRSN housing benefits. There are specific federal rules. You need to meet certain health, housing, and financial conditions to be eligible.

Learn more

How Benefits Work

HRSN housing benefits are not for emergencies.

It can take several months after approval to get your benefits. Wait times vary by service and provider. If you’re about to be evicted, contact your local Community Action Agency (CAA)

Contact Community Action Agency
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Can I Get Help?

You may qualify for benefits if all of these are true:

1. You are a current member of Health Share of Oregon or The Oregon Health Plan (OHP).

2. You have a social need, like:

  • Not having enough food

  • Trouble paying your rent

  • Health issues caused or made worse by weather or climate

3. You have experienced at least one of these:

  • You are a young person in the child welfare system or leaving foster care

  • You are homeless or might become homeless

  • You were recently released from custody or a mental health center

  • You are switching from Medicaid only to Medicaid and Medicare

  • You are 19 to 26 years old and have special health needs

4. You also need to have a specific health needs, for example:

  • Complex physical health or dental health needs

  • Serious mental health needs

  • Pregnant or within 12 months postpartum

  • Under 6 years old or over 65

  • High use of crisis services like going to the emergency room

  • Need help with everyday things like washing, eating, or getting dressed

  • Domestic violence survivor

  • A developmental disability

Flowchart depicting five steps of the Health Related Social Needs (HRSN) Benefits Process: 1. Initial screening, 2. Checking if you qualify, 3. Getting a decision letter, 4. Making a care plan, 5. Getting help. Includes resource contacts and timelines for nutrition support and housing support.
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Requesting Housing Support

HRSN Housing supports can include help paying rent for up to 6 months, help paying for utilities like gas, electric and water, and other services for renters.

CareOregon manages HRSN Housing benefits for all Health Share members, regardless of their plan assignment.

You can request these benefits by one of these methods:

Housing Support Request Form
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Home Changes for Health

Formerly known as Climate Supports

Nutrition Support

HRSN Nutrition supports can include medically tailored meals, nutrition education, fruit & vegetable and pantry stocking benefits

CareOregon manages HRSN Nutrition benefits for all HealthShare members, regardless of their plan assignment.

You can request these benefits by one of these methods:

Nutrition Request Form

Flexible Services

Staying healthy requires more than good health care. Food, shelter supports, and communication services that help you keep in touch with your care team are all key to your health.

Flexible services are items or services like temporary lodging, supplemental food, or a cell phone and service plan so you can keep receiving telehealth care from your provider. Our Care Coordinators can help you get temporary lodging, replace or supplement food, or get a cell phone and service plan so you can keep receiving telehealth care from your provider.

Flexible Services may be able to pay for items or services that are not part of covered benefits. Flexible Services are also known as Health-Related Services or Flex Funds. They are not the same as Health-Related Social Needs or HRSN benefits.

A copy of the Flexible Services Policy is available to download here.

Examples of Flexible Services might be:

  • Access to a warm pool to swim and exercise to help with your arthritis and improve your movement

  • A place to stay for a few days to recover from a hospital stay or surgery

  • A cell phone to keep you connected to your healthcare provider

To be approved, items or services must:

  • Not be a covered benefit under your health plan

  • Be cost-effective

  • Show a proven health benefit

  • Be part of your treatment plan or approved by your healthcare provider

  • Not be available through any other funding source

Members can request Flexible Services through their primary care team or by calling their assigned health plan:

Or call Health Share Customer Service at 503-416-8090 or toll free at 888-519-3845. For more information you can also visit OHA’s Flexible Services website.