Ohioans can enroll in expanded Medicaid on Dec. 9

COLUMBUS (AP) — Low-income Ohioans who are newly eligible for Medicaid under an expansion of the program can sign up for health coverage beginning Dec. 9, state officials said today.

Officials estimate roughly 366,000 Ohioans may qualify for the expanded coverage, including those who tried to enroll earlier but discovered they didn’t qualify under current Medicaid rules.

Gov. John Kasich’s administration moved forward last month to extend the federal-state health program for the poor and disabled. But it was unclear until now when people could enroll. Coverage begins Jan. 1.

The federal health care law expanded Medicaid to those with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level — $15,856 for an individual or $32,499 for a family of four. Its main beneficiaries are expected to be low-income adults with no children living at home.

Some residents previously tried to get health insurance and discovered they didn’t qualify under current Medicaid rules and didn’t earn what would qualify them for tax subsidies to purchase insurance in the new insurance marketplace.