The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians advocacy team monitors healthcare related legislation throughout the legislative process. Read on for this week’s updates and contact Government Relations Director Jeremy Blake at 614.914.5625 with questions or ways to get involved.
Statehouse Meetings
Tuesday, February 7
9:00 a.m. – The House Finance Committee meets to receive presentations from the Office of Budget & Management and the Legislative Service Commission regarding the biennium budget in the Ohio Statehouse, Hearing Room 313. It will be shown on the Ohio Channel.
3:00 p.m. – Senate General Government Committee meets for the purpose of a second hearing on Senate Bill 9, medical marijuana, in the Ohio Statehouse, Hearing Room 110. It will be shown on the Ohio Channel.
Wednesday, February 8
9:00 a.m. – The House Finance Committee meets to receive presentations from Medicaid agencies regarding the biennium budget in the Ohio Statehouse, Hearing Room 313. It will be shown on the Ohio Channel.
9:00 a.m. – The State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO) Medical Marijuana Committee meets to consider qualifying conditions for the medical marijuana control program in Rhodes State Office Tower, 30 East Broad Street, 3rd Floor, Administrative Hearing Room. It will be shown on the SMBO YouTube Channel.
10:00 a.m. – The SMBO meets to conduct business in Rhodes State Office Tower, 30 East Broad Street, 3rd Floor, Administrative Hearing Room. It will be show on the SMBO YouTube Channel.
1:30 p.m. – The Senate meets for regular session in the Ohio Statehouse, Senate Chamber. It will be shown on the Ohio Channel.
Monday, February 13
1:30 p.m. – The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review will meet in the Ohio Statehouse, Hearing Room 121. It will be shown on the Ohio Channel.
DeWine Administration Releases Official Executive Budget Proposal
After sketching out the major facts for lawmakers in his “State of the State” speech, Governor Mike DeWine released his official executive budget plan, recommending state General Revenue Fund (GRF) spending totals of about $28.1 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and $29.4 billion in FY25, representing increases of 3.2% and 4.8%, respectively. All Funds appropriation totals are $103.3 billion for FY24, a 3.5% increase, and $99.7 billion in FY25, a 3.4% decrease. Legislative hearings on the proposal are beginning this week.
In the healthcare space, Gov. DeWine proposed expanding Medicaid coverage for children and pregnant mothers from 211% to 300% of the federal poverty line. An estimated 30,000 children and 3,500 women are expected to receive coverage annually if this increase is enacted. Gov. DeWine also indicated that the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) will be seeking a waiver to allow the program to cover foster children adopted through private agencies; children adopted through public agencies are already eligible for Medicaid. The Governor also outlined two tax related changes aimed at supporting parents and families. The first is a sales tax exemption for diapers, wipes, car seats, strollers, and other baby care and safety items. This proposal is expected to save Ohio families an estimate $16 million per year. The second proposal would increase the current income tax exemption for dependents from $2,500 to $10,000; this will result in Ohio taxpayers receiving additional refunds in tax year 2023 totaling $131 million.
Gov. DeWine also announced the proposed formation of a new cabinet level agency dubbed the Department of Children and Youth. Pending legislative approval, this agency would be formed by combining several childcare programs currently administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services with elements of other programs, including the Ohio Department of Health’s Help Me Grow and the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities’ Part C Early Intervention Program. Other state government programs and projects that would be housed under this new agency include the children’s trust fund, most early childhood education initiatives, the maternal child health block grant, adoption and foster care supports, Head Start, TANF, and childcare center licensing.
As is always the case, the bulk of the budget goes to three priorities: medicate, educate, and incarcerate. Approximately two-thirds of state spending will be allocated for K-12 and higher education funding, Ohio Medicaid, and Ohio’s prison system. You can view the Budget Highlights and Recommendations online.
Ohio Medicaid Launches New Managed Care System, Sets Timeline for Public Health Emergency Unwinding
ODM recently launched a new managed care system, bringing to a close a nearly 4-year effort to redesign and rebid the multi-billion managed care program. Shortly after taking office in 2019, Gov. DeWine asked Director Maureen Corcoran to begin the process of designing and procuring new managed care plans and vendors to serve the nearly 3 million Ohioans served by Medicaid. After years of stakeholder meetings, RFP’s, and delays, the final phase of the Next Generation Ohio Medicaid Managed Care initiative launched on February 1 with three new managed care plans (Anthem, AmeriHealth Caritas, and Humana) joining four existing plans (Buckeye, CareSource, Molina, and UnitedHealthCare). Additionally, ODM began implementing modules for their new electronic data interchange that will streamline most claims-related activities and prior authorization requests. More information is available on ODM’s managed care website.
In related news, ODM began releasing information on the anticipated unwinding of continuous enrollment that has been in place since February 2020. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government began giving states enhanced reimbursement to offset revenue losses due to economic shutdowns. In exchange, state Medicaid programs were required to pause all redeterminations, effectively freezing Medicaid enrollment. As a result, Ohio’s Medicaid population has increased by 737,000 and more than 3 million Ohioans are currently covered. Beginning Saturday, April 1, ODM will begin a 12-month process to confirm eligibility for all these individuals. For enrollees whose income or health status has changed, and they are no longer eligible, they will receive assistance with migrating to a private market or an Affordable Care Act marketplace plan. ODM will begin reaching out to enrollees later this month. ODM has an excellent website with resources for the unwinding of the public health emergency.
Statehouse In The News
DeWine Releases Two-Year Ohio Budget, with Lots of Spending and Family-Focused Benefits
Source: Statehouse News Bureau
Medicaid is the biggest chunk of the budget. Office of Budget and Management Director Kim Murnieks said spending will slow after the federal COVID public health emergency ends this spring and people determined to no longer be eligible will be removed from the Medicaid rolls, which grew during the pandemic. Read the full article online.
DeWine Prioritizes Children, Mental Health, and Attracting Business in State of the State
Source: Ohio Capital Journal
In his annual State of the State address to a joint meeting of the General Assembly, Gov. DeWine announced big money moves included in his proposed budget, including $2.5 billion in one-time monies to ready construction sites for major business, and per-child tax credits he says will help bring better health and education outcomes. Read the full article online.
Ohio Constitutional Amendment Proposal Misses Key Deadline
Source: cleveland.com
It is official: Republican state lawmakers will miss their first chance to pre-empt a planned abortion-rights ballot measure by asking voters to set a higher threshold to amend the Ohio constitution. Read the full article online.
Ohio’s Ex-Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor Wants Redistricting Amendment on November 2024 Ballots
Source: cleveland.com
A group that wants to reform Ohio’s redistricting process is aiming to place a constitutional amendment before voters in November 2024, former Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor said. Read the full article online.
Weekly Ohio News Shows
The State of Ohio, PBS | February 3, 2023
The State of Ohio is a weekly program focused on state politics and government. Gov. DeWine previews a budget with a lot of spending, and a lot of positive reaction; but, some lawmakers question where all that money is going and why some things were left out. And an update on the second week of the trial of Republican former House Speaker Larry Householder. Watch The State of Ohio.
Face the State, WBNS 10TV | February 5, 2023
Face the State is a weekly program focused on politics and government. This week’s Face the State covers what Ohio is doing to tackle wrong way driving, Gov. DeWine’s State of the State Address, and more. Watch Face the State.
The Spectrum, NBC 4 | February 5, 2023
The Spectrum is a weekly program focused on state politics and government. Gov. DeWine’s State of the State address, the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, abuse survivors, and discussions on police reform. Watch The Spectrum.