Data Graphics

Data compiled by HPIO shows that more than 770,000 Ohioans (over 6% of the total population) are enrolled in Medicaid through Group VIII (also known as the expansion group). The highest rates of enrollment in this group are found in metropolitan and Appalachian counties, as displayed above.

Group VIII coverage includes adults ages 19 to 64 who have incomes less than 138% of the federal poverty level and are not eligible for other categories of Medicaid (click here to see a table of Medicaid enrollment for all 88 Ohio counties).

The expansion of Medicaid eligibility has been a major contributor to Ohio’s uninsured rate dropping by half, from 14% in 2010 to 7% in 2022. The state is ranked 16thbest in the nation for uninsured rate, according to HPIO’s 2024 Health Value Dashboard.

In 2013, when Ohio expanded Medicaid eligibility under the federal Affordable Care Act, the federal government funded 100% of the expansion population. That was reduced gradually from 2016 to 2020 to its current 90%-10% split between the federal and state government.

As the U.S. Congress deliberates plans to reduce federal spending, including proposals to drastically cut funding for Medicaid, Gov. Mike DeWine included in his state budget proposal a provision that if the federal share of Medicaid funding is reduced, the Ohio Department of Medicaid “shall immediately discontinue all medical assistance for members of the [Medicaid expansion] group.”

This would drastically reduce access to health care for hundreds of thousands of Ohioans, most of whom are employed. In 2018, Medicaid reported that 94% of Group VIII enrollees were either employed, in school, taking care of family members (such as children or grandchildren), participating in an alcohol and drug treatment program or dealing with intensive physical health and/or a mental health illness.

Learn more about Medicaid in Ohio by viewing HPIO’s recently released Ohio Medicaid Basics 2025.

Data shows that there has been a steady increase in educational attainment among Black Ohioans over the course of nearly a century, as illustrated above. During Black History Month and every month, we celebrate the history, culture and contributions of Black communities that strengthen our country and the state of Ohio. While Black communities have faced barriers to justice, including access to quality education, they remain resilient.

Education is a longstanding value of Black communities as demonstrated by the United Negro College Fund’s well-known slogan: “The mind is a terrible thing to waste, but a wonderful thing to invest in.”

Previous HPIO work has found that education is an important social driver of health and is associated with better health and a longer life. While educational attainment alone does not guarantee improved outcomes without addressing other barriers, a gap in education attainment still exists. It is important for Ohio to support polices that provide and protect equitable access to quality education.

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio has released the 11th edition of Ohio Medicaid Basics, a primer that provides an overview of the Medicaid program in Ohio.

Published every other year since 2005, to coincide with the biennial budget process, Ohio Medicaid Basics provides an overview of the Ohio Medicaid program, including eligibility, covered services, spending and recent policy changes. 

Medicaid is a public program that offers health insurance and other services to groups experiencing economic disadvantage, including children and families with low incomes, older adults and people with disabilities. These groups face unique challenges, including costly and complex health needs, challenging community conditions and socioeconomic barriers to health and well-being. The Medicaid program fortifies individuals and families against the financial strain of receiving needed health care.

There are more than 3 million Ohioans — more than 1 in 4 people in the state — enrolled in Medicaid, as illustrated above. This includes more than 1.2 million children. In State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024, federal and state expenditures on Medicaid accounted for about 39% of Ohio’s state operating budget.

HPIO will analyze the impact of future state and federal Medicaid policy changes, such as Ohio’s proposed Medicaid work requirements, in future publications.

January is Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month and new analysis by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio found that thousands of Ohioans who need drug or alcohol treatment are not receiving it.

As illustrated above, some of the reasons for not receiving needed care include cost, transportation, lack of provider availability and challenges with insurance.

In recent years, access to mental health and addiction treatment has been a priority for state policymakers. RecoveryOhio’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan lists access to treatment and recovery services as one of the five key pillars of its work. According to the plan, “Numerous resources and services exist, but many Ohioans find them difficult to identify and navigate. Intake into mental health or substance use disorder treatment is too frequently initiated by law enforcement or emergency room services.”

Click here to see a list of mental health and substance use resources from HPIO.

HPIO analysis that was included in its recently released policy spotlight “School-Based Health Care and Medicaid" found that the percentage of children ages 6-18 that were covered by public health insurance alone (e.g., Medicaid, military insurance) or in combination with private insurance, in each county ranges from a low of 9.9% in Delaware County to 53.7% in Hocking County during the 2022-2023 school year, as displayed above.

According to the publication, the federal government in 2014 increased flexibility for states to cover school-based health services for students enrolled in Medicaid (more than 703,000 students in Ohio). The new HPIO policy spotlight explores the opportunities this federal policy change presents for Ohio to leverage Medicaid reimbursement to improve the health and well-being of students.

“Children from families with low incomes, and therefore eligible for Medicaid, often experience more barriers to accessing health care due to factors such as lack of transportation or parent challenges taking time off work,” the report states. “These barriers increase the value of school-based health services for families.”

New data included in HPIO’s recently released data brief “Mental Health Conditions among Ohio Children and Youth” shows that children in Ohio with anxiety were slightly more likely to have moderate or severe anxiety than children around the country, as illustrated above.

Childhood mental health conditions are associated with an increased risk of chronic physical health conditions (e.g., diabetes, heart disease), continuing mental health problems and worse employment outcomes in adulthood.

The brief states, "Understanding this data, and engaging children, youth and their parents and caregivers, can lay the foundation for action and policy change."

The data brief is the first in a series of four planned HPIO publications on child and youth mental health that will be released over the next two years.