Statehouse News

Medicaid Expansion and Reform

Last week was truly a historic week in Columbus—there were a number of developments around Medicaid expansion and reform that will play out over the next few months, both in the legislature and in the courts. Here is a summary of what happened last week and what we see coming next:

On Monday, the Ohio Controlling Board approved the appropriation increase related to Medicaid Expansion.  The final vote was 5-2 after Speaker Batchelder swapped the two existing House republicans (Amstutz and Rosenberger) for two new republicans (McClain and McGregor). McGregor and Senator Widener, both Springfield-area republicans, voted in favor of the request.

On Tuesday, the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law filed a lawsuit in the Ohio Supreme Court against Controlling Board and the Department of Medicaid; six house republicans joined the lawsuit (though 4 of them voted against HB 59).  The state now has to respond to the suit. It is unclear when this case will be heard and what delays it may cause to the rollout of Expansion. 

Also on Tuesday, Senator Widener introduced SB 210, which would provide for a 4% income tax cut paid for by savings to Medicaid from Expansion.  Widener indicated he would introduce this bill prior to voting for Expansion in Controlling Board.  Widener is also working on a controlling board reform bill that would cap the amount of an appropriation increase the Board can approve (anything above this threshold would have to go to the full legislature).  These savings will come in the form of cuts that were initially offered in HB 59.

On Thursday, Representative Sears introduced a new Medicaid reform bill (HB 317: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=130_HB_317);  Representative Wachtmann (Chairman of House Health & Aging) also introduced a handful of bills that address smaller issues in Medicaid.  We still expect more bills to be introduced in the House on Medicaid reform. 

The Senate is set to pass Senator Burke’s Medicaid Reform Bill (SB 206) this week—recall that the bill creates a Joint Medicaid Oversight committee and caps growth at 3% per member per month. The House is expected to move this bill fairly quickly, in addition to their own Medicaid reform measures.

Daniel Hurley
Manager of Governmental Affairs
www.capitol-consulting.net

 

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