(COLUMBUS, OH)—Whether Medicaid eligibility is expanded – as proposed in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) – was made optional for states in the U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding federal health care reform earlier this summer. Based on action Friday by its Board of Trustees, the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) issues this statement:
“Ohio hospitals strongly support the responsible implementation of Medicaid expansion,” said OHA President and CEO Mike Abrams. “Ohio’s hospitals recognize expanding Medicaid is a complex undertaking and look forward to continuing to work with the administration of Gov. John Kasich to expand access to Medicaid in Ohio.”
Medicaid is a state-federal government program that pays for health care coverage for more than two million Ohioans. The ACA calls for expanding Medicaid eligibility in 2014 to uninsured adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. As proposed by the ACA, the federal government would pay 100 percent of the cost for expanding Medicaid eligibility through 2016, with a gradual reduction to paying 90 percent of the cost thereafter. The federal government currently pays 63 percent of the cost of Medicaid in Ohio, with the state responsible for the rest.
About OHA
The Ohio Hospital Association was established in 1915 and currently represents 167 hospitals and 16 health systems throughout Ohio. OHA is a membership-driven organization that provides proactive leadership to create an environment in which Ohio hospitals are successful in serving their communities. Visit OHA’s Web site at www.ohanet.org. Follow OHA on Twitter at http://twitter.com/OhioHospitals.
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