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Democrats criticize GOP over Medicaid inaction
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
Democratic lawmakers slammed the GOP leaders of the Ohio House and Senate on Tuesday for failing to move on an expansion to Medicaid eligibility, despite earlier assurances of hearings and potential action before the end of the summer recess.
“I believe there’s only one reason not to act at this time,” stae Sen. Capri Cafaro, D-Hubbard, told reporters during a morning press conference at the Statehouse. “That’s motivated by cowardice, by fear and by being selfishly motivated by politics.”
House Minority Leader Tracy Heard of Columbus, D-26th, voiced comparable frustration in a released statement: “It is discouraging that no legislative action is even ongoing. It would be different if House members were actively working out legislative components of Medicaid expansion through the committee process, but we really have yet to see any action along those lines. I would encourage Republican leaders to bring us back to work before dragging out more tired and stale, false deadlines.”
Both comments came the day after the head of the Ohio House’s finance committee said he expected action on the Medicaid issue in coming months.
Rep. Ron Amstutz of Wooster, R-1st, said he expected multiple summer hearings on multiple bills, with a goal of having proposed law changes ready for “serious stage” conversations in September.
“This is going to be way more than Medicaid,” Amstutz said. “It’s going to be what can we do to help the struggling part of the state to get stronger so that more people will not need Medicaid than would otherwise be the case.”
He added, “My goal is to see action by Oct. 1.”
The ongoing debate concerns Gov. John Kasich’s proposal to expand Medicaid coverage to include Ohioans earning up to 138 percent of federal poverty level (about $15,000 per person).
The administration has estimated that the expansion would leverage billions in federal Medicaid dollars, save the state more than $400 million in general-revenue funds and ensure 275,000-plus additional low-income Ohioans have health-care coverage.
But Republican law- makers have balked at the plan, saying it amounts to an endorsement of President Barack Obama’s signature health-care law and out-of-control government spending.
Republican lawmakers indicated in June that they expected summer hearings on the Medicaid issue and action shortly thereafter, with a final package potentially including job training or other measures to help Ohioans gain employment and boost their incomes enough to take them off public assistance.
No committee hearings have been announced to date, though the House and Senate have “if needed” and scheduled sessions days in late August in September.
Kasich voiced concern earlier this month about potential delays in a final vote.
“‘By the end of the year’ starts to become problematic,” he told attendees at a Statehouse rally. “We may have to try to get something sooner in the year. ... We’d like to have something soon after the summer.”
On Tuesday, Cafaro offered separate legislation that she said would expand Medicaid eligibility, control costs, provide an exit in case federal funding commitments change and initiate a study of ways to coordinate Medicaid and work-force-development programs.