Source: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
State officials are working on a plan to resolve a backlog of more than 70,000 applications from Ohioans seeking Medicaid benefits (Source: “Ohio Backlog in Processing Medicaid Applications Draws Federal Scrutiny,” The Columbus Dispatch, May 5, 2019).
Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran said the number of pending applications has dropped about 30% in recent months, but federal regulators remain concerned.
“They have indicated that we are not in a position we need to be in, and they expect more dramatic resolution of this so they have asked us to put together a plan,” Corcoran said.
The delays — most applications have been pending more than 45 days — are causing people to wait to receive health care and creating financial burdens for some providers such as nursing homes caring for residents unable to pay.