The slicing of Medicaid spending comes through limiting the tax that states can impose on hospitals and implementing work requirements.<\/p>\n
Ohio Sen. Jon Husted applauded the bill\u2019s approach to Medicaid.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bill would require able-bodied adults who do not have young children to work or volunteer 20 hours per week in exchange for their generous Medicaid benefits,\u201d Husted\u2019s office stated in a press release.<\/p>\n
ExploreOhio Senators join to approve giant GOP tax and budget bill<\/a><\/p>\n GOP leaders argue that no one who should receive Medicaid will lose their coverage. But the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the current version of the bill would result in 11.8 million people losing health insurance over the next 10 years, with the majority of them losing Medicaid coverage.<\/p>\n The Health Policy Institute of Ohio estimates that nearly one in four Ohioans are enrolled in Medicaid. President Amy Rohling McGee said her organization has seen a dramatic increase in access to care across the state, coinciding with Ohio\u2019s Medicaid expansion in 2014.<\/p>\n \u201cOur state has seen multiple improvements in terms of people\u2019s ability to access care when they need it. When they\u2019re sick, when they have an accident or injury, they have a chronic health condition. If they have a mental health or substance use disorder. We\u2019ve seen improvements there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The Medicaid program is jointly funded by the federal government and states. <\/p>\n For now, Ohio\u2019s newly passed \u201ctrigger\u201d provision \u2014 which would eliminate the state\u2019s Medicaid expansion if federal funding for the program were to dip below 90% \u2014 will not go into effect with the passage of the federal budget, Rohling McGee said.<\/p>\n