NEO-MEC Meets with Lawmakers to Share Message: Ohio Medicaid Reform Now
Columbus, OH (PRWEB) July 13, 2013 -- On Wednesday, June 19, Tony Gutowski, public policy development manager, joined the Northeast Ohio Medicaid Expansion Coalition (NEO-MEC) at the Statehouse in Columbus to meet with legislators as final changes to Ohio’s biennium budget were being made. Members of NEO-MEC met with over thirty legislators throughout the day and had special guests from the Governor’s Office of Health Transformation join them for a discussion during lunch.
With final changes to the budget due to Governor Kasich by June 30, the focus of the visit was to express the urgency of Ohio Medicaid reform and the reality of the quickly approaching deadline. Since the provision to allow for expanded coverage was removed from the Governor’s budget by the legislature, several other proposals have been created in hopes of reviving efforts to replace the expansion; however, most are unlikely see the floor for a vote by the June 30 deadline. NEO-MEC – consisting of primarily hospital providers, advocacy groups and religious organizations – stressed the importance of meeting the deadline to lawmakers, as Ohio stands to lose significant federal dollars each day it delays expanding the Medicaid program.
For more information on Ohio Medicaid reform, please contact Deanna Moore at 216.255.3614 or deanna.moore(at)chanet(dot)org, or Tony Gutowski at 215.255.3610 or tony.gutowski(at)chanet(dot)org.
Deanna Moore, The Center for Health Affairs, http://www.chanet.org, 216-255-3614, [email protected]
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