Senate budget bill includes PASSPORT expansion into rural areas

The budget plan approved this week by the Ohio Senate includes a provision that would extend a pilot program into some rural regions of the state to allow family members to provide home- and community-based care under the PASSPORT program (Source: “At-home senior care program could expand to rural Ohio,” Newark Advocate, June 11, 2013).

The approved senate budget included a section to extend a pilot program in a few rural regions of the state to allow family members to provide home- and community-based care under the PASSPORT program. PASSPORT provides home-based services to elderly Ohioans eligible for Medicaid.

The state has 12 PASSPORT regions, and the legislation would extend the service to three of the rural areas. Those specific areas have not yet been selected.