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Ohio Medicaid Breaks Down Who Might Be Affected By Work Requirements

Hundreds of people gathered at the Statehouse in April 2013 to show support for Medicaid expansion. Gov. John Kasich got it approved by the state Controlling Board later that year.
Karen Kasler
Hundreds of people gathered at the Statehouse in April 2013 to show support for Medicaid expansion. Gov. John Kasich got it approved by the state Controlling Board later that year.

As of last Friday, the state has federal permission to require 20 hours of work per week for many non-disabled people on Medicaid expansion.  The state’s Medicaid director has put a number on how many people might be affected – and how much it might cost to put those requirements in place.

Work requirements will be imposed on people in Medicaid expansion who are under 50, aren’t caregivers, and aren’t in college or job training. 

41 percent of the 613,000 Medicaid expansion recipients are working. Slightly less than that are exempt.

And Medicaid director Maureen Corcoran said 18 percent – just over 109,000 people – will have to be assessed to see if they need to work more or are exempt.

“While many individuals in the expansion group work, more can be done to encourage employment and community engagement efforts," Corcoran said.

Medicaid expansion advocates have raised concerns about administrative costs of enforcing work requirements. Corcoran says it’s estimated they will total $28 million over the two-year budget.

Copyright 2019 The Statehouse News Bureau

Contact Karen at 614/578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.