As the U.S. Senate prepares to unveil its health care plan, the Ohio Senate is moving ahead with a provision that would end enrollment under Medicaid expansion.
Nearly 700,000 people have received health care in Ohio since Gov. John Kasich opted to expand Medicaid in 2014. The latest version of the two-year state budget includes a provision that would stop enrolling people into Medicaid under the expanded guidelines. It would take effect starting July of next year.
This is similar to a bill Republican Sen. Bill Coley has been promoting. He has said this would be a pause so the state can see what changes Congress might make to the health care laws.
Democrats have said ending enrollment for Medicaid expansion would be unfair. Kasich’s office says it is still taking a close look at the details of the amendment.
If this provision passes the House and Senate, it’s still possible for Kasich to line-item veto it.
