(The Center Square) – Ohio plans to take another shot at requiring work for Medicaid expansion benefits.
The state included language in the state budget, signed in July 2023, saying it would again ask the federal government in 2025 to allow it to impose a work requirement for Medicaid recipients after the previous requirement was stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In Ohio, our goal is to empower all people to reach their full potential,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “While this certainly includes providing critical assistance to people when they need it, we also have a responsibility to ensure as many Ohioans as possible are on a pathway to financial independence.”
In 2019, Ohio asked the Trump administration for a work requirement, which was granted. It required 20 hours of work a week or for recipients to be engaged in other approved activities to maintain their health coverage.
In January 2021, the requirements were put on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2021, the Biden administration ended the policy.
As of April, there were 2.9 million Ohioans on Medicaid, which gives health care coverage to low-income residents, including children, the elderly, people with disabilities and pregnant women.
Between 2020 and 2023, enrollment grew to 3.55 million in the state when enrollment requirements were reduced because of the pandemic. A return to the previous requirement has reduced that number by more than 500,000.
In March, state Auditor Keith Faber said a state Medicaid audit showed more than 124,000 people were enrolled in Ohio’s Medicaid program and a program in another state. The same report said the state paid more than $1 billion for services to people enrolled in multiple states over a four-year period.
Ohio spent $28.5 billion on Medicaid at the end of fiscal year 2022.
“We also know there is a strong connection between being employed and improved health,” DeWine said. “Today, there are over 160,000 jobs available through OhioMeansJobs.com waiting to be filled. A work requirement will help connect more people with great jobs like these – promoting self-sufficiency while also improving the well-being of our workforce.”