Oregon Project Independence: Oregon 2026 Guide

Oregon Project Independence (OPI) helps older Oregonians, and some younger adults with disabilities, who need help at home but are not on Long-Term Care Medicaid. There are two versions: the original state-funded OPI, with a sliding-scale fee, and OPI-M, a Medicaid demonstration under Oregon’s 1115 waiver that serves people with higher income and assets than regular Medicaid allows.

Below we cover the 2026 eligibility rules for Oregon Project Independence, the services it can pay for, the steps to apply, how waiting lists work, and how the program sits alongside nursing home Medicaid in Oregon. For the full statewide rules on income, assets, spouses and the look-back, see our Oregon Medicaid guide.

Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.

What Oregon Project Independence is

OPI is delivered through local Area Agencies on Aging and APD offices. A case manager assesses needs and arranges a limited package of in-home help. OPI-M was created to reach middle-income people before they spend down to full Medicaid. It is a limited benefit, not a full long-term care program, and does not pay for residential care.

This is a bridge program for people not yet eligible for, or not yet needing, full long-term care Medicaid. Services are limited, and cost-sharing rules differ.

Who qualifies in 2026

To get Oregon Project Independence, a person generally has to pass two separate tests, one about care need and one about money, and then receive an opening. In general, an applicant must:

be 60 or older for state-funded OPI, or, for OPI-M, be 18 or older and meet the program’s disability criteria;
live in Oregon in their own home;
need help with daily activities, as shown by an assessment; and
not be receiving Medicaid long-term services, except as allowed by program rules.

Finances. See the rules above; they are not the standard long-term care Medicaid limits. Eligibility for one program does not decide eligibility for another.

Financial rules differ from full Medicaid. State-funded OPI uses a sliding fee scale. OPI-M uses much higher limits than regular long-term care Medicaid: in 2026, adjusted income up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level ($5,320 a month for one person) and resources up to $103,645 for one person from July 1, 2026 ($99,656 before that).

If you are married. The spouse who stays home is protected: federal spousal impoverishment rules let them keep a share of the couple’s assets and, if their own income is low, part of the applicant’s income. The spousal allowance pages explain how these amounts are figured.

Services Oregon Project Independence can cover

Services are listed in a written plan of care, built from the assessment and the person’s goals. Not everyone gets every service. Depending on need, Oregon Project Independence can include:

in-home personal care and homemaker help
chore services
adult day services
respite for family caregivers
home-delivered meals
case management
assistive technology and personal emergency response in some cases

Limits. Oregon Project Independence offers fewer services than a full waiver, and no 24-hour care or room and board.

How to apply for Oregon Project Independence

The steps below describe the usual path. Many people apply for Medicaid and request the waiver at the same time, so that the money and care tests run side by side.

Contact the local Area Agency on Aging or APD office and ask about Oregon Project Independence and OPI-M.
Complete a screening and needs assessment.
For OPI-M, complete the financial application that ODHS uses for the demonstration.
A case manager writes a service plan.
Services start, with any fee determined by the program.

Staying organized. Copy every form before you send it and keep a simple call log. During the assessment, describe a typical bad day rather than a good day, and have a family member present who knows how much help is really needed. Memory problems, falls and the need for supervision all count, even when the person can still do some tasks alone. If the answer is no, the written notice explains how to request a fair hearing and the deadline.

Waiting lists and timing

OPI funding is limited, and some local offices have waiting lists for state-funded OPI. Wait times vary by area.

Starting the process early keeps options open if a wait develops. Stopgaps can include state plan home care, adult day centers, PACE where it operates and local aging services. The waiver waiting lists page explains common rules.

How it relates to nursing home Medicaid

Oregon Project Independence is meant to delay the need for more care, not to replace nursing home coverage. When needs increase, full long-term care Medicaid, with its own financial rules and look-back, is the next step.

Getting ready for Oregon Project Independence

Families usually look into Oregon Project Independence after a health event or when a caregiver is stretched thin. A bit of preparation helps. Begin with a list of daily tasks, the people who handle them, and the gaps that appear when a caregiver is away. The same list helps at the assessment and makes it clear where paid help matters most.

On the financial side, gather recent bank statements, income letters such as Social Security and pension notices, health insurance cards, and proof of age and residence in Oregon. Keep older statements too: if a waiver or nursing home becomes necessary, the five-year look-back applies. Without a durable power of attorney, a family member may need a court order to manage finances, so signing one early is wise.

Finally, review the plan every few months. Needs change, and Oregon’s programs are designed to change with them through reassessments. Families who keep notes on changes, such as new diagnoses, falls or hospital visits, find later reviews and applications go more smoothly.

Tips for families

It can relieve a caregiver before burnout and clarify what help is really needed. Keep records of needs and how they change, since that history helps a later waiver or nursing home application. If full Medicaid may be needed within a few years, get advice about the look-back before making gifts.

Many families find it worthwhile to talk with a Certified Medicaid Planner before applying for Oregon Project Independence. A planner who knows Oregon’s rules can review income and assets, explain which program fits, map the timing against any waiting list, and help with the paperwork. Costs range widely, from about $150 to $600 an hour, about $500 to $6,000 for application help, and about $2,500 to $15,000 or more for full planning.

Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.