Strickland creates office to coordinate Medicaid program

Gov. Ted Strickland signed an executive order on Monday creating an office to coordinate Ohio's $13 billion Medicaid program. (Source: "Strickland signs order for Medicaid office," Business First of Columbus, Dec. 10, 2007.) The order establishes the independent Executive Medicaid Management Administration (EMMA), which aims to eliminate duplication at state agencies working with the Medicaid program and facilitate federal compliance and uniform policy decisions. Currently several agencies are responsible for handling the Medicaid program, which consumes the largest chunk of Ohio's budget.

During deliberations on the state's most recent budget bill, "the governor compromised with Republican legislative leaders to create the (EMMA). The initiative was adopted as an alternative to the long-standing GOP proposal to create a separate agency to oversee the state's $12 billion-a-year health care entitlement." (Source: Gongwer Report, Dec. 10, 2007.) Cristal Thomas, deputy director of the Department of Job and Family Services and Ohio's Medicaid director, will be the new agency's executive director. In addition, EMMA will consist of "a council of cabinet-agency partners" including directors from ODJFS and the Departments of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, Aging, Budget and Management, Health, MR/DD, and Mental Health, as well as the superintendent of public instruction. ODJFS will continue to serve as the state's single Medicaid agency because federal law requires one department assume responsibility for the program. Gov. Strickland recently named John Corlett deputy director of ODJFS's Office of Ohio Health Plans.