Data Graphics

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released a new policy explainer on changes to Medicaid financing in Ohio.

HR 1, the federal reconciliation bill sometimes referred to as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” or the “Working Families Tax Cuts Act,” includes provisions that will have major impacts on Medicaid financing in Ohio. These provisions affect provider taxes, as well as one of the ways that states increase payments to providers who treat patients with Medicaid coverage and invest in quality improvement efforts.

Data included in the explainer shows that Ohio could face an estimated annual loss of $2.1 billion in annual Medicaid funding with the elimination of Ohio’s health insuring corporation (HIC) franchise fee and an estimated loss of $733 million and $933 million per year from modifications to Ohio’s hospital franchise fee, as illustrated above.

While the exact impacts of these changes to financing are not yet fully known, they will reduce Medicaid funding in Ohio by billions of dollars. Ohio policymakers will need to make important decisions to mitigate these funding cuts. For example, the state can modify the HIC franchise fee to make it compliant with new requirements, preventing its elimination.

The policy explainer (and accompanying 4-page summary) provides more detail on Medicaid funding losses in HR 1 and outline potential state responses to these provisions.

Data from HPIO's upcoming 2026 Health Value Dashboard shows that Ohio's policy focus on child well-being in recent years has potentially contributed to the share of children who have experienced two or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) dropping over the past decade. But disparities based on income and other factors persist, as illustrated above.

The 2026 Health Value Dashboard, which will be released next month, measures Ohio's performance against other states across population health, healthcare spending and the broader factors that shape health.

The Dashboard's breadth makes it an essential resource for policymakers and stakeholders seeking a complete picture of Ohioans' health.

On April 29, the Institute will host a webinar, titled 2026 Health Value Dashboard: Using Data to Promote Policy Progress, where HPIO experts will walk through key findings, highlight trends across major health drivers and examine disparities for populations facing the greatest challenges. The session will also explore policy opportunities to improve health value across Ohio.

Insights from the Dashboard will be examined further at HPIO's 2026 Health Policy Summit — an action-oriented, day-long convening to be held in late Summer that will bring together state partners, national experts and local leaders.

Data included in HPIO’s recently released policy explainer SNAP at a Glance: Key Changes from HR 1 shows that nearly 1 in 8 Ohioans are currently enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as illustrated above.

SNAP enables about 1.4 million Ohioans to meet their basic food needs and supports local economies by generating up to $1.50 in economic activity for every $1 in benefits spent.

HR 1, the July 2025 federal reconciliation bill, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” made substantial changes to SNAP that will affect eligibility for the program, as well as how the program is administered by Ohio and other states. Ohio’s share of SNAP costs is projected to rise 268%, from $146 million to nearly $540 million, due

The policy explainer describes how HR 1’s SNAP eligibility restrictions and expanded work requirements are expected to negatively impact the ability of Ohioans to access healthy food.

To learn more about the issue, see this HPIO explainer video featuring co-author Robin Blair-Ackison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ajDAAsDS-E&t=2s

HPIO has released a new policy explainer titled “SNAP at a Glance: Key Changes from HR 1.”

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enables more than 1.4 million Ohioans to meet their basic food needs and supports local economies by generating up to $1.50 in economic activity for every $1 in benefits spent.

HR 1, the federal reconciliation bill also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which was enacted in July 2025, made substantial changes to SNAP that will affect eligibility for the program, as well as how the program is administered by Ohio and other states. Ohio’s share of SNAP costs is projected to rise 268%, from $146 million to nearly $540 million, due to provisions in HR 1 that shift more administrative and benefit costs onto states.

Enrollment in SNAP varies greatly in Ohio, from a high of 26% in Pike County to a low of 3.8% in Holmes county, as illustrated above.

The explainer describes how HR 1’s SNAP eligibility restrictions and expanded  work requirements are expected to negatively impact the ability of Ohioans to access healthy food.

Recent data from RecoveryOhio shows that while less than 1% of all accidental drug overdose deaths in Ohio from 2019 to 2024 involved kratom, the number has increased by 180%, as illustrated above.

Kratom is a stimulant that has opioid-like effects and, until recently, was sold in natural and synthetic forms over the counter as a supplement at retail stores in Ohio.

The Ohio Board of Pharmacy recommended last month that all forms of kratom be reclassified as Schedule 1 controlled substances. That decision came shortly after Gov. Mike DeWine issued an executive order banning synthetic kratom.

The Pharmacy Board rules banning mitragynine, the primary psychoactive chemical found in kratom, will not be finalized for at least a few months. The rules still need to be reviewed by the Common Sense Initiative in the governor’s office and the Ohio General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.

Data included in HPIO’s recently released policy brief on the Connections between Youth Mental Health and the Juvenile Justice System shows that Ohio youth who are Black or Hispanic, from rural counties and from families earning less than 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL) are more likely to have had a parent or guardian serve time in jail.

The brief found that there are several factors that contribute to poor mental health among children and teens, but some are more common among youth who become involved in the juvenile justice system, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

Certain ACEs are more common among youth who become justice-involved, specifically sexual abuse, neglect and living in a household with someone who was incarcerated. According to HPIO’s Health Impacts of ACEs in Ohio brief, sexual abuse and incarceration of a household member are also two of the ACEs that have the most significant impact on the health of Ohioans.

The brief includes nine policy options that state policymakers can implement, and for which juvenile justice and child mental health partners can advocate, to improve mental health outcomes for at-risk youth and prevent justice involvement. The policy options, which were identified through a review of the U.S. Department of Justice Crime Solutions inventory, and through the expertise of the HPIO Child Mental Health advisory group, aim to prevent delinquent behavior, promote accountability, cultivate community safety and support the mental health of youth in detention or commitment.