Reports differ on Medicaid changes to state budget

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

A Cleveland-based organization led by Ohio’s former Medicaid director says House changes to the Medicaid program in the state budget could result in hundreds of thousands losing health coverage.

A report released recently from John Corlett of the Center for Community Solutions examines a provision in the bill that would require children and adults to contribute monthly to a health-savings account or lose Medicaid benefits.

Corlett tells The Columbus Dispatch that the plan could result in poor children getting dropped from the health program for an entire year if their parents were late with a payment.

The Senate is reviewing the budget and considering its own revisions.

The conservative Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions has said the House changes would make the Medicaid program better.