Dear Governor DeWine,
Advocates for Ohio’s Future (AOF) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of over 500 state and local health and human services policy, advocacy and provider organizations that strive to strengthen families and communities through public funding for health, human services, and early care & education. We work to empower and support nonprofit organizations in the critical work they do, especially as it relates to lifting up the most vulnerable among us.
As a coalition of a broad range of health and human service organizations, we unite to identify and prioritize the greatest needs of people and families across the state.
We are pleased by actions taken by the legislature through the Conference Committee process to remove a number of provisions that would have made it more challenging for Ohioans to access support for basic needs including food, housing and healthcare.
We write to draw your attention to a provision added by the Senate and passed in the Am. Sub. House Bill 33 Conference Report that seeks to add costly and administratively burdensome barriers to healthcare for low-income Ohioans. We ask you to exercise your veto power to remove this provision from the final version of the state budget.
MCDCD74: Medicaid work requirements (R.C. 5166.37)
This provision requires the Medicaid Director to apply for a new Medicaid work requirement waiver in early 2025. Instituting mandatory work requirements for Medicaid would undermine people’s health and create more barriers toward AOF’s mission for stronger, healthier people and communities. It would also increase the complexity of using Medicaid for patients, health care providers, and county agencies which in turn would increase the expense of implementation.
In addition, the current federal administration has concluded that these provisions reduce coverage and do not promote the objectives of the Medicaid program. They have withdrawn approved work requirement waivers from a number of states.
Good health is critical for maintaining a job, earning an education, parenting, and participating in community life. Health must come first on the path to self-sufficiency. Advocates for Ohio’s Future asks for the path to Medicaid work requirements be vetoed in the state budget bill.
Thank you for your attention and consideration. We look forward to continuing to work with you and members of your Administration on policies that create opportunity, care for and invest in people and vulnerable populations.
Sincerely,
Kelsey Bergfeld, Director