by Geon, Bryan
Rental Services
If you need to furnish a home right away and you don’t have time to shop for the perfect furniture and appliances, or if you won’t be in town for more than a couple months, you can rent practically anything you need. Be careful, though: if you rent household items for more than a few months, you will almost always end up paying more than if you had bought new furniture. In addition to the furniture rental establishments listed below, you might consider home staging services, or even rent-to-own businesses like Aaron’s (www.aarons.com) or Rent-A-Center (800-665-5510, www.rentacenter.com). Be aware, though, that even credit purchases are usually cheaper in the long run than “rent-to-own” plans. Use these services sparingly.
The following are two long-established rental outfits in the area:
Cort Furniture Rental, 9495 SW Cascade Ave, Beaverton, 503-520-8800, 888-360-2678, www.cort.com
People’s Furniture Rental, 11035 SW 11th St, Suite 290, Beaverton, 800-922-1231, www.peoples1.com
Domestic Services
As with any service, satisfied friends and trusted colleagues are the best sources of recommendations for domestic service providers. Failing that, Angie’s List (888-888-LIST, www.angieslist.com) advertises itself as a list of plumbers, auto mechanics, painters, and the like recommended by members, but you should still check references as you would (or should) with any contractor or service provider. There is a fee to join. Free online review sites like Yelp (www.yelp.com) are another good resource, but don’t take every review, positive or negative, at face value.
For other goods and services, take a look at the Shopping for the Home chapter.
House Cleaning
You might decide to use a house-cleaning service on a one-off basis (before you move into a new house, for example) or on an ongoing basis. Before you employ any cleaner or cleaning service, be sure to check references and only use cleaners who are insured. (Agencies that employ bonded and insured cleaners usually say so in their advertisements.) Personal recommendations are your best source for finding cleaners, but of course cleaning services are also listed online and in the Yellow Pages (under “House Cleaning”).
If you’re trying to minimize the use of chemicals in your home, several companies such as Domestica (503-222-2334, www.domesticaclean.com) use only nontoxic, environmentally safe products to clean your home.
Pest Control
While typical Oregon pests lack the horrifying cachet of, say, hissing cockroaches, they can nonetheless be troublesome to have around the house. In the insect department, dampwood termites and carpenter ants, if left unchecked, can cause structural damage, and other insects can be nuisances. Mammals that sometimes pose problems include possums, raccoons, skunks, bats, squirrels, mice, moles, or even nutria, huge, non-native rodents from Argentina that resemble giant beavers with enormous orange teeth. (This is true.) Rats often infest areas where invasive English ivy has established itself, and the inaccessible (to humans) spaces between parallel neighboring fences.
If these critters have invaded your home or yard and setting traps yourself has not worked or is not an option, consider calling an exterminator, or visit www.pestweb.com for comprehensive information about dealing with your unwelcome houseguests. If your problem requires a professional solution, consult one of the many services listed online or under “Pest Control Services” in the Yellow Pages. If your problem is with furry creatures, many services offer live trapping. You’re unlikely to want that solution for insects, but the following services claim to use less toxic (although not necessarily nontoxic) chemicals:
All Natural Pest Elimination, 877-662-8449, www.nobuggy.com
Alpha Ecological, 503-972-8733, 800-768-9424, www.alphaecological.com
Bugaboo Pest Control, 503-289-0576, www.bugaboopest.com
EcoCare, 503-222-5566, www.pestcontrol.com
Postal and Shipping Services
Portland’s main post office is located just north of downtown, near Union Station, at 715 Northwest Hoyt Street (the main entrance is on Glisan). Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Neighborhood post offices are more convenient for most people, but tend to have shorter hours. To find your local post office (including contract post offices housed in local businesses), or to look up ZIP codes or postal rates, call 800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777) or visit www.usps.com. The Airport Mail Facility at 7640 Northeast Airport Way (503-335-7920) is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.
If you’re between addresses and need a place to receive mail, you can rent a box at a local post office or choose a private mail receiving service. Many of the private services allow call-in mail checks and mail forwarding, but they often charge more than the post office.
Mail Receiving Services
Look in the Yellow Pages under “Mail Boxes-Rental” to find the most conveniently located private mail receiving services. The following services have multiple locations in the Portland area:
Postal Annex+, 800-767-8252, www.postalannex.com
The UPS Store, 800-789-4623, www.theupsstore.com
Shipping Services
In addition to parcel shipment and next-day or second-day delivery, most of the familiar national shipping services offer freight service for large items.
DHL, 800-225-5345, www.dhl-usa.com
FedEx, 800-463-3339, www.fedex.com
United Parcel Service (UPS), 800-742-5877, www.ups.com
United States Postal Service, 800-275-8777, www.usps.com
Junk Mail and Telemarketing
A deluge of junk mail will almost certainly follow you after you move, and everyone from the phone company to your mortgage lender will be anxious to sell your name to marketers. To curtail the onslaught, write to the junk mail overlords at Direct Marketing Association (DMAChoice, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, New York 10512) to request a form, or obtain or submit an online form at www.dmachoice.org. (Either way, they’ll charge you $1 for the privilege of removing your name from mailing lists; online, you’ll have to navigate through the propaganda explaining why direct mail advertising is the best thing since indoor plumbing.) Most—but not all—businesses and charities that send junk mail will exclude addresses registered with this service, but it may take 30 to 90 days for junk mail to slow. Registration with the DMA will not deter marketers that do not buy the organization’s preference lists.
The major credit bureaus share an opt-out line that allows you to reduce the volume of prescreened offers for credit and insurance that you receive. Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutpresecreen.com to have your name removed from mailing lists that the credit bureaus sell to direct-mail marketers.
You can stop those annoying dinnertime calls from legitimate commercial telemarketers (but not charities, political organizations, or rogue boiler room operations that scorn the law) by adding your number to the Federal Trade Commission’s National Do Not Call Registry. Call 800-382-1222 or visit www.donotcall.gov.
Automobile Repair and Maintenance
Finding a trustworthy mechanic is often difficult, to say the least. The best way to find a good shop is to ask coworkers, neighbors, and friends, particularly those with the same make of car, for recommendations. Shop around for a mechanic before you need one; if you wait until your car is virtually immobile, you’re likely to be tempted to take it to the nearest chop shop. Auto dealerships are generally reliable, if pricier than independent mechanics; at least they have the parts, equipment, and (one hopes) expertise to service the cars they sell.
If you’re considering an independent shop, you may want to check with the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed against it. (See “Consumer Protection” below.) If it’s just advice you need, consider tuning in to Tom and Ray Magliozzi (better known as Click & Clack), the guys on National Public Radio’s Car Talk program. Although the Magliozzis have retired
, and Tom passed away in November 2014, old programs are rebroadcast on KOPB (91.5 FM) on Saturdays at 10 a.m. and Sundays at 11 a.m. The “Mechanics Files” page of the Car Talk website (www.cartalk.com/mechanics-files/) is a database of recommended (and reviled) mechanics, as reviewed by Car Talk listeners.
If the question isn’t who will repair your car, but rather who to call to have it towed, you’ll find lots of options listed online and in the Yellow Pages under “Towing-Auto.” To avoid a frantic search for towing companies after you’ve broken down, consider joining an automobile club. The American Automobile Association (AAA) (contact AAA of Oregon/Idaho, 888-422-2503, www.oregon.aaa.com) is the best-known club; it offers towing services, travel guides and maps, and lists of approved mechanics, among other services. The local club now offers roadside assistance for bicycles as well as motor vehicles. The lesser-known (and locally based) Better World Club (866-238-1137, www.betterworldclub.com) offers similar services, and bills itself as “America’s only eco-friendly auto club.” Many national service station chains and insurance companies also offer road service plans.
Health Care
Health Insurance
At press time, the contours of the health insurance landscape in the Northwest and nationwide are changing. The Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare, now requires most Americans to have health insurance coverage or pay an annual penalty. Because the law also, among other things, requires plans to offer certain minimum features and prohibits denial of coverage based on pre-existing conditions, both the range and cost of available plans is very much in flux. For now, employer-sponsored plans cover most Oregonians (and Washingtonians) who have private health insurance. If your employer doesn’t provide coverage, or if you’re self-employed (or unemployed), you’ll need to shop around for health insurance. The new online health insurance exchanges somewhat simplify this process. Cover Oregon (www.coveroregon.com, 855-268-3767) is the Oregon gateway to the insurance exchange. (Cover Oregon became infamous nationally after it spent hundreds of millions of dollars building a website through which no one was ever able to complete an insurance enrollment; hundreds of thousands of Oregonians had to mail in enrollment forms. The state eventually gave up on developing its own exchange, and the Cover Oregon website now connects to the federal exchange.) Washington’s health exchange is accessible at 855-923-4623, www.wahealthplanfinder.org. Be sure to compare deductibles and co-pays, the percentages covered for various procedures, restrictions on which doctors and hospitals you can use, the extent of prescription drug coverage, and exemptions for pre-existing conditions. Insurance premiums can vary dramatically from one company to another. Subsidies are available for lower-income workers.
The Insurance Division of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (350 Winter St NE, Salem, 97301, 503-947-7984, 888-877-4894, www.insurance.oregon.gov) regulates health insurance in Oregon. A range of consumer publications, including health insurance buyer’s guides and complaint statistics for various insurers, is available for download at the Division’s website; visit www.insurance.oregon.gov/consumer/health-insurance/health.html or call 503-947-7984 or 888-877-4894 to request publications by mail. In Washington, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (PO Box 40255, Olympia, Washington, 98504, 800-562-6900, www.insurance.wa.gov) provides similar services; health insurance information for consumers is available at www.insurance.wa.gov/consumers/health/index.shtml.
Health Care Plans
The following seven companies have traditionally provided the vast majority of private health insurance coverage in Oregon. Most of these companies also operate in southwest Washington.
Health Net, 888-802-7001, www.healthnet.com.
Kaiser Permanente, 877-488-3590, www.buykp.org
LifeWise Health Plan of Oregon, 800-290-1278, www.lifewiseor.com
Moda, 888-392-2940, www.choosemoda.com
PacificSource Health Plans, 855-330-2792, www.pacificsource.com
Providence Health Plans, 503-574-7500, 800-988-0088, www.providence.org/healthplans/
Regence BlueCross Blue Shield of Oregon, 888-734-3623, www.regence.com
Health Care Assistance Programs
Medicare is the federal government’s health insurance program for people age 65 and older and qualified disabled individuals of any age. For information about Medicare eligibility or to apply for Medicare benefits, call the Social Security Administration at 800-633-4227 or visit ssa.gov/medicare. You cannot yet apply for Medicare online. In Oregon, volunteers at the Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Program (SHIBA; 800-722-4134, www.oregon.gov/DCBS/SHIBA/) provide free, individualized counseling about Medicare and related programs, including Medicare-supplement insurance and long-term care insurance. Their website lists contact information for SHIBA sites around the state, or you can call them for more information. Washington’s similar SHIBA program (see below) is not limited to Medicare advice.
The Oregon Health Plan is the state’s version of the federal government’s Medicaid program. Administered by the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Health Plan provides health coverage for working people with very low incomes, as well as people with disabilities. Call 800-699-9075 or visit www.oregon.gov/OHA/healthplan for information about coverage and eligibility requirements.
Washington’s Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) network dispenses advice and distributes information on a range of health insurance matters, including private insurance as well as government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. Information is available from the SHIBA website (www.insurance.wa.gov/shiba/) or by calling the HelpLine at 800-562-6900.
Complaints
For insurance-related complaints, contact the Oregon Insurance Division’s Consumer Advocacy Unit (503-947-7984, 888-877-4894, www.insurance.oregon.gov), which can help with resolving complaints. Their website includes an online complaint form. In Washington, contact the Insurance Commissioner (800-562-6900, www.insurance.wa.gov/complaints-and-fraud/).
Finding a Doctor
If your job includes health benefits, your insurance plan or HMO may require you to use a participating doctor or facility (or may pay a reduced benefit if you use a medical care provider who is “out-of-plan”). If you have a choice of physicians, there’s no substitute for word-of-mouth; if you can, ask for a referral from a friend or trusted coworker. If that option is unavailable, such websites as www.drscore.com and www.healthgrades.com purport to rate physicians, but the ratings should probably be taken with a grain of salt (and an aspirin, then call them in the morning). The Oregon Medical Board (971-673-2700, 877-254-6263, www.oregon.gov/OMB/) regulates physicians in Oregon; contact them or visit the website to check on a doctor’s credentials and history of lawsuits or professional sanctions, or to make a formal complaint about a doctor or other medical professional. In Washington, the state’s Health Systems Quality Assurance Commission (360-236-4700, www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/professions/medical/default.htm) provides a somewhat equivalent service.
Portland is a national center for alternative and naturopathic medicine. As always, a personal recommendation is the best way to find a health care provider. Failing that, try the “Find a Physician (ND)” tool on the Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine site (www.oregon.gov/OBNE/), or call them at 971-673-0193. You could also visit one of the clinics at the National College of Natural Medicine (503-552-1551, www.ncnm-clinic.com).
Hospitals
Adventist Medical Center, 10123 SE Market St, 503-257-2500, www.adventisthealthnw.com
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital at OHSU, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, 503-494-8311, http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/doernbecher/
Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center, 2875 NW Stucki Ave, Hillsboro, 971-310-1000, www.kp.org
Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center, 10180 SE Sunnyside Rd, Clackamas, 503-652-2880, www.kp.org
Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, 2801 N Gantenbein Ave, 503-413-2200, www.legacyhealth.org
Legacy Good Samaritan Medical
Center, 1015 NW 22nd Ave, 503-413-7711, www.legacyhealth.org
Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center, 19300 SW 65th Ave, Tualatin, 503-692-1212, www.legacyhealth.org
Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center, 24800 SE Stark St, Gresham, 503-674-1122, www.legacyhealth.org
Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, 2211 NE 139th St, Vancouver, 360-487-1000, www.legacyhealth.org
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Hospital and Clinics, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, 503-494-8311, www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/
Providence Milwaukie Hospital, 10150 SE 32nd Ave, Milwaukie, 503-513-8300, www.providence.org/Oregon/
Providence Portland Medical Center, 4805 NE Glisan St, 503-215-1111, www.oregon.providence.org
Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, 9205 SW Barnes Rd, 503-216-1234, www.oregon.providence.org
Providence Willamette Falls Hospital, 1500 Division St, Oregon City, 503-656-1631, www.oregon.providence.org
Southwest PeaceHealth Medical Center, 400 NE Mother Joseph Pl, Vancouver, 360-514-2000, 503-972-3000, www.peacehealth.org/southwest/
Tuality Community Hospital, 335 SE 8th Ave, Hillsboro, 503-681-1111, www.tuality.org
Tuality Forest Grove Hospital, 1809 Maple St, Forest Grove, 503-357-2173, www.tuality.org
Affordable Health Care
Community and Public Clinics
Community clinics and some public health clinics offer free or low-cost treatment to low-income individuals and families; some clinics use sliding fee scales based on income.
The Coalition of Community Health Clinics (503-546-4991, www.coalitionclinics.org) is a coalition of community clinics located throughout the city of Portland. Their comprehensive website includes links to non-member clinics, including clinics that provide low-cost dental and chiropractic services.