Our latest policy report looks at what’s at stake for Medicaid in this year’s race for Governor. The analysis examines the importance of Medicaid using new state and county-level data, how the candidates for Governor’s plans could impact the program, and its role in combatting the opioid epidemic.

Summary

While candidate Richard Cordray has expressed his support for the Medicaid expansions, his opponent has laid out plans that could drastically change the program. As Attorney General, Mike DeWine sued to stop the Medicaid expansion and has proposed changes that could risk the healthcare of hundreds of thousands of Ohioans. The report notes that DeWine has still not taken a position on the legislature’s passage of a Medicaid expansion freeze, which Gov. John Kasich vetoed.

Other key findings include:

• 21% of Ohioans rely on Medicaid for their healthcare. In some counties, this number is as high as 40%.
• Medicaid expansion has helped to lower Ohio’s uninsured rate from 13.9% to 6% in four years.
• DeWine’s proposed changes to Medicaid could risk the healthcare of at least 318,000 Ohioans.
• 59% of Ohio nursing home residents use Medicaid coverage for that service.

Read the report: Healthcare is on the Ballot in Ohio: Medicaid and The Governors Race