Testimony: Ohio Medicaid saved $41 million in first quarter

Ohio Medicaid Director Cristal Thomas told the Ohio General Assembly's Joint Legislative Committee on Medicaid Technology and Reform on Wednesday that the state saved about $41 million in Medicaid spending during the first quarter of this year by ensuring that insurance companies cover all eligible expenses before the state makes payment. (Source: Gongwer Report, Oct. 3, 2007.) The article quoted Thomas as saying, "Medicaid is meant to be the payer of last resort. The savings is due to ensuring that if there is another party is available to pay, they’re paying."

According to the article, Thomas said that individuals covered by Medicaid "sometimes also have some type of private insurance" and the agency works to make sure private insurance pays for claims first, instead of having the Medicaid agency pay for the claim then seek reimbursement from eligible insurance companies.