Medicaid growth is too costly

Steubenville Herald-Star: Ohio legislators worried about paying the state’s bills are getting a bad rap. Perhaps Buckeye State taxpayers should stand behind them more firmly.

Earlier this year, Gov. John Kasich decided Ohio should comply with the new national health care law’s mandate concerning the Medicaid program. Obamacare requires states to expand eligibility for Medicaid.

Medicaid, a joint state-federal program, already provides health care assistance to more than 2.4 million Buckeye State residents. Expansion to comply with the Obamacare requirement would add another 275,000 enrollees.

But many members of the General Assembly are balking. In response, their critics in effect are accusing the reluctant lawmakers of not being sympathetic enough to low-income Ohioans. Ohio legislators are far from heartless wretches. They simply want to ensure government spending does not drive more Ohioans to the poorhouse.