Ohio Medicaid portal adds link to jobs site

Starting this week, Ohioans using the state’s online Medicaid portal to enroll in coverage will also be linked to the state’s site for job openings (Source: “Ohio Medicaid applicants online now get a pop-up listing higher-paying jobs,” Business First (Columbus), Feb. 12, 2015).

As of Wednesday, the Ohio Benefits system benefits.ohio.gov is linked to the state-run career site OhioMeansJobs.com, the Governor's Office of Health Transformation said Thursday.

After questions on the benefits site about household size, ZIP code and monthly income, but before identifying information, is entered, a pop-up opens a second window with information about local job openings. Applicants can start the job search before returning to the Medicaid application, hide it or close it. The default jobs search is for a 20-mile radius and the next-higher income bracket, but can be adjusted.

"For most people, Medicaid is temporary – it is there in a time of crisis," said Greg Moody, Health Transformation director. "They work their way up and out of needing it; that is very common. (The web link is) to also put in front of them information they may already be looking for."