500k Ohioans gain mental health, drug treatment coverage through Medicaid expansion, officials say

According to data from the Kasich administration, nearly 500,000 low-income Ohio adults, most of them uninsured, received mental health and addiction services under the state’s Medicaid eligibility expansion (Source: “Medicaid expansion covers nearly 500,000 Ohioans for mental health, drug treatment,” Columbus Dispatch, July 17, 2016).

The Medicaid expansion has brought 954,887 onto the rolls since the program began Jan. 1, 2014. Just over 50 percent were treated for mental health and drug addiction problems, and about 100,000, or more than 1 in 10, were diagnosed with severe mental illness, including psychosis, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

State officials said nearly all of the 481,903 newly enrolled Medicaid clients with behavioral health or addiction issues had been uninsured before gaining coverage through the tax-funded health care program for the poor and disabled. Some received limited services through community-based programs but many were not getting treated.