News Releases

March Issue Brief Focuses on Ohio's Medicaid Environment

The Center's latest issue brief, Looking for a New Direction: Ohio Medicaid at a Crossroads, takes a look at Ohio's Medicaid program in the midst of the state budget process.  Though there's no denying the value of Medicaid to the vulnerable populations it serves, this safety net does not come without a cost.  Medicaid is a very expensive program, often the largest in a state's budget and in most states - including Ohio - spending is growing at an unsustainable rate, threatening to crowd out other essential state-funded programs. 

The Center's issue brief begins by describing Ohio's Medicaid program and how it works, then discusses the current Medicaid environment and strategies for reining in costs.  Understanding the many factors that play into Medicaid policy decisions can be useful in appreciating the policy changes that are surely down the road.  This issue brief aims to highlight some of these factors and to provide a roadmap for understanding the rocky Medicaid terrain on which the state now finds itself.  To read this publication or to see other issue briefs in The Center's collection, please visit the issue briefs section of our website.