Bipartisan Medicaid reform bill passes Ohio Senate

The Ohio Senate gave bipartisan approval Wednesday to legislation meant to better manage the cost of Medicaid improve health outcomes among beneficiaries (Source: “Bill to slow growth of Medicaid costs, potentially saving the state billions, clears Ohio Senate,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, Nov. 13, 2013)..

Senate Bill 206, which was approved by a 27-5 vote,was co-sponsored by Sens.Dave Burke, R-Marysville, and Capri Cafaro, D-Hubbard.

The bill aims to reduce future spending growth in Medicaid by:

• Limiting Medicaid spending growth to the medical rate of inflation.

• Tracking health results and pursuing best practices in order to improve health outcomes for Medicaid enrollees, including addressing health disparity issues among racial and ethnic minorities.

• Creating a new panel, the Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee, to oversee accountability.

“Let me be clear, these are not cuts. They are reductions in spending growth from projected rates of increase,” Burke said on the Senate floor.

“For far too long, there has been far too much acrimony for what has become a dirty word around here, and that’s Medicaid,” Cafaro said. “Contrary to some popular belief, government programs can actually be innovative, ladies and gentlemen.” The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, which also is considering reforms of its own.