OHA - Help Hospitals Help Ohioans, Stop Medicaid Cuts

Medicaid
Help Hospitals Help Ohioans, Stop Medicaid Cuts

In Ohio, Medicaid provides health care coverage to more than 2 million low-income citizens each year—covering 1 of every 6 Ohioans, 1 in 3 children, and 1 in 10 seniors. It also infuses more than $12 billion into Ohio's economy.

The federal government offers roughly 60 cents for every 40 cents provided by state funds for Medicaid. Every dollar cut from the state Medicaid budget makes a $2.50 impact on hospitals' ability to provide care.

The gap between the cost to Ohio hospitals to provide Medicaid services and reimbursement widened to $204.2 million in SFY 2005. These losses compound the more than $665.5 million in care hospitals provide to the 1.3 million uninsured Ohioans. Potential freezes and decreases in Medicaid reimbursement threaten the care hospitals provide to all patients, not just those depending on Medicaid.
Learn more about Ohio Medicaid
Learn how this could affect hospitals (members only)

In the News...

State Medicaid budget to fall short — to tune of $207M Hospitals explore ways to address reimbursement gap as finances tighten Crain's Cleveland Business, 01.28.08
Editorial: Strickland had no choice but to pull back on Medicaid The Plain Dealer, 12.02.07
Editorial: The right decision Columbus Dispatch, 11.26.07
Strickland turns around Akron Beacon Journal, 11.23.07
Medicaid Cuts The Courier, 11.21.07
Economy changed plan for Medicaid Columbus Dispatch, 11.21.07
Strickland delays Medicaid rate hikes for hospitals, doctors The Plain Dealer, 11.21.07
Control Health Care Spending Wheeling Intelligencer, 11.21.07
Governor delays Medicaid dental benefits, payments to doctors Akron Beacon Journal, 11.20.07
Governor delays Medicaid dental benefits, payments to doctors WDTN, 11.20.07
Governor reverses course on planned Medicaid benefits WTOL, 11.20.07
Medicaid changes won't happen Columbus Dispatch, 11.20.07

View archives

For the latest information and resources on Medicaid provisions included in the State Budget, visit OHA's State Budget Web page at http://www.ohanet.org/advocacy/state/issues/statebudget.htm

►Voices for Ohio's Children

Advocacy Resources
Access resources designed to aid members advocate on their hospitals behalf. To request the password, e-mail OHA.

State, Federal Connection
Learn more about the tenor of legislators locally and at the state and national levels by contacting Bridget Gargan at 614.221.7614 or bridgetg@ohanet.org.

OHA Contacts
Bridget Gargan, bridgetg@ohanet.org
Berna Bell, bernab@ohanet.org
Ryan Biles, ryanb@ohanet.org
John Callender, johnc@ohanet.org

What is Medicaid?
►Medicaid overview
►Fact sheet
►Ohio Medicaid stats
►Medicaid: A Primer Kaiser Family Foundation
►Medicaid consumer guide
►History of managed care plan program