The Ohio Department of Medicaid is finalizing plans to eliminate spend-down and redesign disability determinations. The Governor’s Office of Health Transformation published a white paper that discusses the plans in detail. UHCAN Ohio outlined some of the changes in our March newsletter. Spend-down will be eliminated, and qualifying for Medicaid will mean meeting the income limits. Ohio Department of Medicaid will provide different transitions for people depending on their situation, so it is important to watch for communications from the Ohio Department of Medicaid.
It is important that people who could have met spend-down to qualify for Medicaid (but did not do so) consider whether they could meet spend-down before the end of June. This applies to people who are 65 or older, have a disability, or are blind. Those who could meet the spend-down requirement before June should make sure to apply to Medicaid. Successfully qualifying for Medicaid reimbursement through spend-down, even for just one month, will help to provide you with benefits after July 1, 2016. If you can meet Medicaid spend-down but are not currently enrolled in Medicaid, contact your county Department of Jobs and Family Services or call the Ohio Department of Medicaid consumer hotline at 1-800-324-8680.
For the past 6 months, UHCAN Ohio has been working to organize consumers, advocates, and organizations to oppose the #NotHealthy4Ohio waiver. As a result of this work, approximately 100 advocates, activists, and other organizations filled the hearing room at the Ohio Department of Medicaid in Columbus to provide comments –all opposing – on the Healthy Ohio/#NotHealthy4Ohio Waiver. Of the 12 people who gave testimony, all of the 6 consumers that testified came in response to UHCAN Ohio’s call to action. All 12 people spoke out against the waiver. Click here to watch their testimony.
At the Cincinnati hearing, around 60 advocates attended. Of the 15 people who gave testimony, all of the 9 consumers that testified came in response to UHCAN Ohio’s call to action. Click here to watch their testimony.
On May 2nd, we launched a successful Thunderclap campaign telling Ohio Medicaid that forcing low-income Ohioans to pay for health coverage is #NotHealthy4Ohio. Many colleagues and consumers participated in the online action which reached over 97,000 people online.
We continue to organize people to write comments to Ohio Department of Medicaid before the May 16thdeadline. If you have not already submitted comments, you still have time to do so. The open comment period ends on May 16, 2016. Please send the Ohio Department of Medicaid comments on the #NotHealthy4Ohio waiver and copy UHCAN Ohio at info@uhcanohio.org. We will use the comments you send to Medicaid to convince CMS to deny the waiver request.
