Medicaid Managed Care Plan Selection Begins March 1

Starting March 1, 2022, Medicaid enrollees will be able to select a new managed care plan as part of the Ohio Medicaid Next Generation rollout. Selections made beginning March 1st will go into effect on July 1, the go-live date for Medicaid Next Generation.

Members have seven managed care plans to choose from: Buckeye Community Health Plan, CareSource, Molina Healthcare, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, AmeriHealth Caritas, Humana, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

Starting March 1, members can choose their plan by visiting the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline Portal at members.ohiomh.com, or by calling the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline at 800-324-8680.

If members are not ready to make a plan selection yet, members should be sure to update their contact information so they receive important notices. Here are the ways members can update their information:

· CALL: Call (844) 640-6446. After selecting the option for their preferred language, members should select option 2 and they will be prompted to enter their zip code.

· CLICK: Individuals with an existing Self-Service Portal (SSP) account can report changes online at https://ssp.benefits.ohio.gov. After logging in, they will click the Access my Benefits tile, then click Report a Change to my Case from the drop down and follow the prompts.

· CONTACT: Contact their County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS). Ohio Medicaid members can find their CDJFS by viewing the County Directory at https://jfs.ohio.gov/County/County_Directory.stm.

Using SNAP & PEBT Online in Ohio

Households that qualify for SNAP and P-EBT benefits (food assistance) can use their Ohio Directions Card to purchase groceries online at select retailers including Aldi, Giant Eagle and more.

Our partners at the Ohio Association of Foodbanks and The Center for Community Solutions recently released this clickable resource detailing which Ohio retailers accept SNAP & PEBT benefits and share more about the program.

Throughout the pandemic, retailers have even promoted one-time discounts and special offers for remote shopping, including covering delivery fees. Check with your local retailer of choice to find out more. Additional retailers will be joining the program in the future.

Access the Guide to Shopping Online for Groceries with SNAP/EBT in Ohio

Federal Update: Build Back Better in Final Negotiations

Leaders in Congress have been grappling over the details of the federal $3.5 trillion economic recovery package known as the Build Back Better (BBB) agenda from the Biden-Harris Administration. Though AOF doesn’t usually dive deeply into federal legislation, a number of provisions in this bill have the potential to have a real, meaningful impact for the vulnerable populations we serve including children and low-income working adults.

As negotiations continue into next week, it is critical that you reach out to your U.S. Representatives Senators and ask that they do all they can to ensure the final Build Back Better package includes priorities that will make a difference for you, your family and your community.

AOF and our partner organizations are pushing for the policies below to be included in the final bill and approved by Congress:

• Child Tax Credit (CTC)- Benefits children by making the full CTC permanently available to children in families with the lowest incomes. The expansion in the Child Tax Credit would result in a significant reduction in poverty, reducing the number of children with incomes below the poverty line by more than 40 percent.

• Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)- Benefits working adults without children by permanently extending the EITC expansion from the American Rescue Plan. This expansion would boost the income of more than 17 million working adults without children who do important work for low pay.

• Medicaid Coverage Gap and Health Premium Tax Credits- Reduces marketplace premiums for older people above 400% of poverty.

• Housing Vouchers- Funds as many as 750,000 new Housing Choice Vouchers to help people with low incomes afford stable housing.

• Child Nutrition- Pandemic EBT benefits would be extended under Build Back Better to help families afford groceries in the summer.

• Paid Leave- Creates a universal paid family and medical leave program that would guarantee 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave annually to all workers in the U.S., including those working for private employers, state, local, and federal governments, as well as self-employed and gig workers.

• Child Care- Includes two investments in early care and education: 1) two years of universal preschool and 2) a sliding scale limit on child care costs for families. The Center for American Progress estimates this provision would save Ohio families close to $100 per week in child care costs.

We know a lot can change over the coming days as decisions are made. We believe approving the proposed permanent investments in the above relief and work support programs is the best way to support Ohio families as they continue to work to recover in the months and years to come.

HHS Priorities for State ARPA Funding

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) represents a historic opportunity to invest in people, communities and infrastructure. Ohio is set to receive a total $5.36 billion, separated between two allocations, which must be obligated by December 31, 2024 and fully expended by December 31, 2026. Permitted uses for State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) dollars include:

RECOVER: Pay for measures that quell the pandemic and prevent outbreaks

REPAY: Premium pay to essential employees or grants to their employers

REBUILD: Invest in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure

RESTORE: Pay for government services affected by loss of revenues caused by pandemic recession. Allows for public sector hiring to reinforce and restore government work

Since these recovery funds were announced on both the state and local levels, many local governments have reached out to their residents to identify and prioritize the needs of their communities through an open, public, transparent process before deciding on strategic, significant investments for a recovery plan.

Already, Ohio has expended more than half of its first state funding allocation, with only $850 million remaining. There has been little to no opportunity for public input on the spending of these funds at the state level. Allocations amended into House Bill 168 were added to the bill on the Senate floor and concurred by the House of Representatives with no opportunity for public testimony or comment.

Funding of this magnitude warrants a robust planning process drawing on experts and state and community leaders.

In an effort to give our member organizations an opportunity to present their ARP state spending priorities publicly, AOF hosted a hearing via webinar where nine organizations shared their investment proposal, why the dollars are needed and what long-term impact the investment will have.

This memorandum summarizes the proposals highlighted in the hearing October 7th.

Coming December 2021: Annual Open Enrollment for Ohio Medicaid Managed Care

Beginning September 24th, Ohio Medicaid began informing members of the 2021 open enrollment period by letter notices via mail and by automated phone calls from the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline.

Though the official open enrollment period will occur December 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021, Ohio Medicaid managed care members can change their plan starting at the end of September by calling the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline at 1-800-324-8680 or utilizing the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline Member Portal at https://members.ohiomh.com/Login.aspx.

Remember, managed care members do not have to change plans if they’re satisfied with their current selection. Those who do not make a plan selection will continue to receive coverage through their current managed care plan and won’t experience any change in their services.

The plans that are available during the 2021 Annual Open Enrollment are:

• Buckeye Health Plan

• CareSource

• Molina Health Care

• Paramount Advantage

• United Health Care Community Plan

This annual open enrollment period precludes another opportunity for Ohio Medicaid managed care members to change plans in Spring 2022 before the next generation program and new plans go live on July 1, 2022.

Additional communications will be sent to Ohio Medicaid managed care members during Member Transition Enrollment in Spring 2022 to provide directions on how to to review and compare all the new and continuing plans available in order to choose the plan that is the best fit for them.

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

SNAP Changes Coming October 1st

Starting in October, almost all SNAP households will see a modest, permanent increase in their SNAP benefits—generally between $12 to $16 per person per month. States will automatically make these changes for all SNAP households and recipients do not need to take any action.

The USDA recently re-evaluated the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) based on current data to reflect the cost of a healthy diet. This increased the purchasing power of regular SNAP benefits for the first time since 1975. Congress directed USDA to update the TFP. As a result, starting in October, maximum SNAP benefit amounts (excluding pandemic-related increases) will be 21 percent higher.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP and the Thrifty Food Plan | USDA-FNS

October 1st also marks the end of the pandemic-related 15 percent increase to SNAP benefits that has been in place since January. However, SNAP emergency maximum allotments remain in place to help support families as many continue to emerge from the challenges of the last 18 months. Maximum emergency allotments are requested and renewed by individual states on a monthly basis. The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services continues to request this flexibility and additional support.

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

Ohio's Cash Assistance Program Falls Short During Pandemic

This year marks the 25th anniversary of welfare reform, when the federal government ended the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) entitlement program and created the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant through the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (PRWOA) in 1996.

In recognizing this important anniversary, AOF’s very own Policy Assistant Sarah Hudacek authored a series of research and blog posts late last month detailing her analysis of Ohio’s TANF cash assistance program known as Ohio Works First (OWF) and how this safety net program has been relatively unresponsive to the needs of struggling individuals and families compared to food assistance and other public benefits programs. While benefit program enrollment should grow during economic downturns, OWF barely expanded caseloads in spring and summer 2020 and quickly returned to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year.

Hudacek sites the overall structure of TANF as a block grant program and federal rules like work requirements and time limits as hindrances to the program’s ability to meet all the needs of Ohioans who are eligible for assistance.

Learn more by taking a look at Sarah’s full reports below:

• Ohio Works First Program Considered Last During COVID-19

• Ohio’s Cash Assistance Program Fails to Meet Ongoing Need

AOF Policy Assistant Sarah Hudacek splits her time between AOF and our partners at The Center for Community Solutions.

AOF Opposes 'Vaccine Choice Act'

House Bill 248 (Rep. Jennifer Gross (R), HD-52, West Chester) known as the Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act, received an all testimony hearing earlier this week in House Health Committee. This bill proposes to:

• Prohibit mandatory vaccinations, vaccination status disclosures, and certain other actions regarding vaccinations.

• Authorize an individual to bring a civil action if the individual believes a violation has occurred and requires the court to award a prevailing plaintiff attorney’s fees, compensation for court costs, and any civil penalty the court considers appropriate.

HB 248 seeks to eliminate current fundamental and basic public health and safety measures trusted to keep Ohioans healthy and safe while leaving many more vulnerable to the threat of the Coronavirus.

We are concerned that the changes proposed in House Bill 248 will result in lower immunization rates, poor data collection, and more outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. In turn, greater instances of vaccine-preventable diseases will impact the long-term health and economic stability of our state, already struggling to emerge and recover from an ongoing public health and economic crisis.

Current law already grants exemptions for medical contraindications signed by a physician and for religious and philosophical beliefs for state required vaccines for children entering daycare or school. House Bill 248 greatly expands current exemptions and is likely to result in fewer children receiving immunizations.

Speaker of the House Bob Cupp (R-Lima) and the House majority leadership team issued a statement that pauses any further action on the "Vaccine Choice Act," HB248, after the Tuesday, Aug. 24 hearing, where there were no amendments or votes. Cupp said, “We will then pause hearings on HB248 while we work with the chairman, the bill’s sponsor, and all interested parties on this important issue.”

We urge our elected officials to protect the health and safety of their constituents by opposing House Bill 248, and work towards policies that support the safety and security of Ohioans in times of crisis.

Read our full comments HERE

Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments Heading to Parents in July

On July 15, roughly 39 million households around the country, covering some 88 percent of the nation’s children aged 17 and younger, will get their first monthly payment from the expanded new Child Tax Credit from the American Rescue Plan. The launch date was announced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) earlier this week.

The one-time Child Tax Credit expansion for the 2021 tax year will give eligible parents $300 per month for each child under age 6, and $250 for each child ages 6 to 17, including children who turn age 17 in 2021.

Starting in July, the IRS will start sending payments on the 15th of each month, unless it falls on a weekend or holiday. Before the American Rescue Plan, taxpayers couldn’t claim the credit until they filed their taxes. Households will receive the monthly CTC payments through direct deposit, paper check or debit cards.

Most taxpayers won’t have to do anything to receive their payments, but Treasury and the IRS say they’ll be conducting outreach to make more more families aware of their eligibility.

The IRS does urge people with children to file their 2020 tax returns as soon as possible to make sure they’re eligible for the correct Child Tax Credit amount and any other tax credits they’re eligible for. Filing electronically with direct deposit also can speed refunds and advance payments of the child tax credit.

Who is eligible?

Prior to the American Rescue Plan the amount of the Child Tax Credit was up to $2,000 per qualifying child under the age of 17 each year. The increased amounts ($3,000 ages 6-17/$3,600 under 6) will be phased out for incomes over $150,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return and qualifying widows or widowers, $112,500 for heads of household, and $75,000 for all other taxpayers.

by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant

AOF Submits Testimony on State Budget Proposal

Read our full testimony and proposed changes HERE

This week marked the last opportunity for stakeholders to submit testimony to the House Finance Subcommittees focusing on different sections of House Bill 110, the FY2022-2023 State Operating Budget. Stakeholders were encouraged to submit written testimony only to avoid crowded hearing rooms. The first round of amendments are due early next week and the bill will continue to be heard in full House Finance Committee. Here’s a preview of our testimony to the House Finance Subcommittee on Health and Human Services:

“A full year into the coronavirus pandemic and economic fallout, we recognize that it will take many months, if not years, for Ohio’s families, businesses and communities to recover. As case numbers fall and vaccination rates climb, families across our state continue to struggle with basic needs like food security and housing, the weight of the pandemic on their mental health and finding employment in a different workforce landscape.

This budget holds opportunities for our elected leaders to invest in Ohio’s workforce, families and community services to ensure all Ohioans recover successfully from the economic and public health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Increases in basic needs assistance and targeted, smart investments in work supports for Ohioans and their families, that last the duration of the economic fallout—not just the public health crisis—will do more to support our recovery and empower our citizens to help themselves as soon as it is deemed safe.”

Read our full testimony and proposed changes HERE

Join the Fight Against SB 17

Advocates for Ohio’s Future is asking organizations across the state join the fight against the harmful provisions of Senate Bill 17 by signing on to the letter below. The letter will be delivered to all members of the Senate Government Oversight & Reform Committee and Senate Majority Leadership.

During a time of crisis our leaders should be working to support those who are struggling, not building additional barriers for children, families, working adults and seniors to get the help they need.

Chairwoman Roegner, Vice Chair McColley, Ranking Member Craig and Members of the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee, 

The leaders of Advocates for Ohio’s Future and the undersigned organizations unite to voice our opposition to the proposed changes in eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid and unemployment insurance included in Senate Bill 17.  

All people need safety and security, especially in the middle of a pandemic and a recession. Public programs like SNAP, Medicaid and unemployment insurance are the strongest lifelines to ensure our neighbors have the supports they need during these challenging times.  

SB 17 will hurt Ohio’s recovery. It will worsen food security and health outcomes and prevent millions of federal dollars from flowing into Ohio communities. It punishes workers and creates more barriers for children, families, working adults and seniors to get the help they need. 

During a time when 737,000 Ohioans didn’t have enough to eat over a week’s time, 1 in 5 Ohio kids are living in poverty and over 130,000 children are uninsured, leaders should be looking for ways to support their struggling neighbors rather than put up more barriers to assistance. If this body wants to help people earning low wages, the General Assembly should instead create a benefit-bridge so workers and families with low-incomes can gain greater stability. 

Our children are counting on us to create the Ohio they deserve. We want to live in a state where we create opportunity—not barriers, care for and invest in people and focus on equitable recovery. This means securing robust public assistance policies and strongly rejecting any rules and requirements that, grounded in systemic racism, dilute the efficacy of programs like SNAP, Medicaid and unemployment compensation.  

We urge you to oppose Senate Bill 17 and work towards policies that support the safety and security of Ohioans in times of crisis.  

Sign on HERE

Senate Bill 17 Seeks to Restrict Eligibility for Food Assistance and Health Care During a Pandemic

Senate Bill 17 was introduced in January 2021 by Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster). SB 17 makes changes in eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Medicaid, work and education requirements for certain Medicaid recipients, requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program electronic benefit transfer cards, and eligibility for and overpayments of unemployment compensation.

Senator Schaffer claims these reforms will “repair our safety net so that it’s strong enough to catch the needy, the folks eligible to receive--and need--public assistance.” Read his testimony HERE

AOF and our partner organizations disagree. SB 17 does not protect the safety net and exposes vulnerable Ohioans to loss of critical, earned support in challenging times. It punishes workers and creates more barriers for children, families, working adults and seniors to get the help they need.

All people need safety and security, especially in the middle of a pandemic and a recession. The General Assembly should instead create a benefit-bridge so workers and families with low-incomes can transition from supports into stability.

AOF will be keeping a close eye on this bill and speaking to policymakers about it’s implications. Stay tuned for additional updates on the progress of this bill through the legislative process. As of February 5, SB 17 has received a first hearing in Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee.

New Report: A Brighter Future for Ohio’s Medicaid Managed Care Program

New Medicaid Managed Care Contract Positions Ohio to Substantially Improve Access to Health Care for Vulnerable People

Our partners at the Ohio Poverty Law Center released their most recent report, A Brighter Future for Ohio’s Medicaid Managed Care Program, which examines provisions of the new Medicaid Managed Care contract that should improve legal aid clients’ ability to access services. The Ohio Department of Medicaid released its Request for Applications for the provision of Managed Care health care services to Ohioans enrolled in the program on September 30, 2020. The Department is expected to award contracts as early as this week.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid sought comments on the state of its managed care program from Medicaid recipients, advocates, and other consumer stakeholders throughout 2019 and received nearly 1,000 responses. The legal aid community responded by highlighting multiple issues that needed to be addressed to better serve low-income Ohioans. The report highlights four areas where the new contract makes improvements that can significantly improve the managed care program:

• Services to children, especially those with complex health issues,

• Grievance and appeals process requirements for contracted plans,

• Care coordination, and

• Social determinants of health.

“If fully implemented and enforced, the new Medicaid plan can dramatically improve program performance and outcomes for the one in four Ohioans who receives health care coverage through Medicaid managed care,” said Graham Bowman, staff attorney for the Ohio Poverty Law Center. “The new contract positions Ohio to make substantial improvements in addressing access issues for low-income Ohioans.”

Read the full report HERE

Governor DeWine Asks President Biden For Help To Address COVID-19

Governor Mike DeWine sent a letter to then President-elect Biden on January 18 asking for additional funding and resources to help Ohio fight the coronavirus pandemic.

First on his list of requests was more vaccines-an effort President Biden has pledged to address via executive order. The Governor says the state can handle standing up more mass vaccine sites but must first have an adequate supply to distribute. He also specifically asked for assistance on a strategy to vaccinate seasonal and migrant workers who are critical to Ohio’s farm economy.

DeWine also asks for a robust national television, radio, and social media campaign on the merits of the vaccine and mask-wearing to supplement the new state media campaign that hit airwaves this week.

In addition to CARES Act dollars, he asks President Biden to urge Congress to provide $350 billion to state and local governments and greater flexibility to better target federal dollars.

To ensure Ohioans have access to health care, especially those who lost their jobs and health coverage during the pandemic, Governor DeWine requested President Biden have his Administration extend the temporary increased federal Medicaid support (eFMAP) and create a step-down process tied to the gradual process of economic recovery rather than continue the threat of an abrupt stop every 90 days. Currently, Ohio receives an additional $300 million in federal Medicaid dollars per quarter to support increasing caseloads in the Medicaid program.

He closes with a request for significant federal investments in public health infrastructure and flexible resources to address the lack of (and barriers to) broadband access for over one million Ohioans.

Read Governor DeWine’s full letter HERE

SNAP Online Food Purchasing Expands in Ohio

Although the federal 2014 Farm Bill authorized a pilot Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) online food purchasing program by early 2020 only a handful of states and retailers were onboarded.

In recent years, big box grocery retailers such as Walmart, Kroger, Meijer and Giant Eagle have allowed customers who pay with a credit or debit card to shop for food online, pay online and pickup “curbside.” In most cases this means that not only do customers not have to physically enter the store, they don’t have to get out of their vehicles. These COVID-19 friendly opportunities, however, have not always been afforded to all customers, with SNAP beneficiaries in most states unable to participate in the online purchasing program before the pilot concluded.

Since last spring, the SNAP online purchasing pilot grew exponentially—allowing SNAP beneficiaries to grocery shop and pay online using their Ohio Direction or Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transaction (P-EBT) card.

Until recently, the only retailers approved to accept SNAP payments online in Ohio were Walmart and Amazon, both of which offered delivery to certain ZIP codes for a fee that could not be paid for with SNAP benefits. In December 2020, the grocery shopping and delivery service Instacart announced a partnership with Aldi. The new partnership allows Instacart shoppers to use SNAP cards to buy groceries for same-day delivery and pickup at more than 1,000 Aldi stores nationwide, including in Ohio.

Learn more about this expansion and potential downfalls from our friend Hope Lane at The Center for Community Solutions HERE

AOF Sets Budget and Policy Priorities for 2021

It will take many months, if not years, for Ohio’s families and businesses to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Increases in basic needs assistance and investments in work supports for Ohioans and their families, that last the duration of the economic fallout—not just the public health crisis—will do more to support our recovery and empower our citizens to help themselves as soon as it is deemed safe.

AOF encourages Ohio's legislative leaders to invest in Ohio’s workforce, families and community services to ensure all Ohioans recover successfully from the economic and public health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. A balanced approach to the state budget should examine current tax expenditures and new revenue opportunities to solve Ohio's most pressing needs.

Equity should be an explicit consideration in constructing the budget. Laws and policies have institutionalized racism and bias against marginalized groups. Ohio should allocate resources and services to at-risk populations to ensure an individual’s well-being and success are not predictable by race, class, geography, language, gender, or other relevant social factors.

In 2021 AOF, in collaboration with partner organizations will focus our advocacy efforts to:

• Maintain Medicaid eligibility without barriers or cuts so that Ohioans seeking health care and mental health and addiction treatment can continue to access vital services during these multiple public health and economic crises.

• Increase access to broadband to help all low-income families afford high-speed internet access and incentivize internet service providers to update and improve their networks in low-income areas so all Ohio families and businesses have the ability to participate in education, telehealth and Ohio’s economy.

• Support the immediate, emergency needs of low-income children and families by investing in the core components of the TANF program including emergency assistance, work supports (PRC), food, housing, income-support, and child care and ensure unspent TANF dollars are reinvested into sustainable core programs to increase the security of low-income families and expand job training and work opportunities.

We also pledge to elevate and support the following policy proposals championed by our partner organizations:

• Allocate $45 million per year in the biennium to address food insecurity and direct state dollars to Ohio families who need it most. $30 million to support food purchases and $12 million toward non-food essential items that can’t be purchased with SNAP, such as personal hygiene items and household cleaning items.

• Allocate additional state emergency rental, mortgage and utility assistance to help families affected by the pandemic remain in their own homes with adequate food, running water, and functioning electricity.

• Make the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) refundable to reward work and make a difference for low-income families who in turn, spend the money in their community on basic necessities.

• Maintain and expand home and community-based services and supports across all populations and systems and increase access to quality providers in all communities.

• Expand eligibility for publicly funded child care from 130% FPL to 200% FPL.

AOF and Partners Ask CMS to Withdraw Interim Final Rule

Earlier this week AOF and a number of our partners submitted formal comments on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services CMS) Interim Final Rule (IFR): Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Provisions in the rule could lead to a reduction in Medicaid benefits and eligibility, limit access to COVID-19 vaccines and generally, contradict the intent of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act—to make sure Medicaid enrollees can access the services they need to stay healthy during this pandemic.

AOF believes all people should have access to high quality, affordable health care. The COVID-19 pandemic has elevated the role of Medicaid as a first responder in the public health and economic response of states, and Ohio’s program is no exception. More than 300,000 Ohioans have joined the Medicaid program after 1.3 million Ohioans lost not only their jobs due to the pandemic, but also health insurance for themselves and their families.

This is why Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) in March, with enhanced federal funding and a requirement for states to comply with a maintenance of effort (MOE) provision. We express our significant concern about several provisions of the IFR, notably those which erode the intent of the FFCRA and enable states to impose a number of coverage restrictions through benefit limits, including the ability to refuse coverage for COVID-19 vaccination, service cuts, increased cost-sharing and result in terminations for individuals who should not be terminated, potentially exposing individuals to the loss of coverage at a critical time in our response to the virus.  

As COVID-19 continues to encompass Ohio, which has a current positivity rate over 18%, the need for consistent access to health care for routine and chronic care, as well as acute care, is obvious. Congress took appropriate measures under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to make sure Medicaid enrollees can access the services they need to stay healthy during this pandemic. The IFR is in contradiction to the Act, the intent of Congress and to the public interest. We strongly oppose these provisions of the Interim Final Rule, and urge HHS to withdraw them immediately.

Read our full comments HERE

ODH Releases 2019 Infant Mortality Report

In a report released by the Ohio Department of Health, the state reported that 929 babies died before their first birthday in 2019, down from 938 a year earlier. This marks the third year in a row that infant mortality dropped in Ohio.

Despite the drop in the overall rate, Black infants were more than 2.8 times more likely to die than white infants last year.

Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday he is forming the Eliminating Racial Disparities in Infant Mortality task force. The new group's goal: Reduce infant mortality and eliminate racial disparity by 2030. The task force will begin working in January to "create actionable recommendations for interventions, performance and quality improvement, data collection, and policies to advise the Governor’s Office of Children’s Initiatives on improving Ohio’s investments and strategies in addressing racial inequities in birth outcomes.”

Read the full 2019 Infant Mortality Report HERE

Driver's License Reinstatement Fee Amnesty Program Begins December 13

The Reinstatement Fee Debt Reduction and Amnesty Program is a permanent program within the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) intended to assist people who cannot afford to pay all their pending reinstatement fees following a driver’s license suspension. Beginning on December 13, 2020, the program provides for eligible individuals to have their driver’s licenses reinstated after suspension by paying reduced reinstatement fees or receiving a complete fee waiver, depending on whether the participant is indigent.

The BMV will automatically enroll any person who is eligible for the program and inform that person through an email or regular mail, eliminating the need to apply. It will be important for those eligible for the program to have a working email address and current mailing address on file.

A person will be enrolled into the program if their driver’s license or permit has been suspended for one or more eligible offenses and at least 18 months have passed since the end of the suspension period. Individuals are eligible for a complete fee waiver if they are indigent or a reduction in reinstatement fees if they are not indigent, meaning they are not participating in the low-income assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, Ohio Works First and others.

Eligible offenses cannot involve alcohol, illegal drugs, or a deadly weapon. A list of eligible offenses can be found here.

Questions? Find out more by calling 1-844-644-6268 or on the BMV website.

Health Equity & Building an Inclusive Health System for All Ohioans

Earlier this week our partners at the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio and the Universal Health Care Action Network (UHCAN) Ohio released an issue brief highlighting the challenges individuals who lack legal status face in accessing care and health services and offer recommendations for bridging these gaps in support of public health for everyone.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a threat to everyone living in our communities. The virus doesn’t care who is a citizen, who has insurance, or what kind of job a person has. Likewise, our ability to support a strong public health network means that everyone – no matter a person’s citizenship, job, or insurance status – must have access to ongoing care and health services.

There are three sources of funding available that are typically used by healthcare providers to support services for individuals living in Ohio and would otherwise be eligible for the Medicaid program because they lack proper documentation to live and work in the United States. These programs exist to make sure that all people regardless of their means or citizenship have access to emergency healthcare.

• Ohio’s Alien Emergency Medicaid program

• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Uninsured Provider Fund/Medicaid Coordination of Benefits

• Community Health Centers

Read the full issue brief HERE