Extra Medicaid to end in 2018?

Medicaid expansion wouldn’t go away in Ohio, but it would shrink starting next year if an Ohio Senate committee has its way.

Under an amendment to the two-year state budget bill that emerged Tuesday from the Senate Finance Committee, the Medicaid expansion in Ohio would continue for a year. But after July 1, 2018, Senate Republicans would not only close the Funding for schools addressed /

door on would-be new enrollees but also on those who drop off the expansion because of better employment. Those past recipients could not sign up again if they lose that job later.

The idea “is to be fair to those covered in the program and the taxpayers of Ohio,” said Sen. Scott Oelslager, R-Canton, chairman of the Senate committee.

“This freeze will help us evaluate where the budget is a year from now, and more importantly perhaps, we’ll see what is happening in Washington.”

While the U.S. Senate has not made any revamped proposals public, Ohio Republican Rob Portman and others have been talking about cutting off enhanced federal funding for the Medicaid expansion over a period of several years.

The Medicaid provision is part of about 150 amendments added Tuesday to the Ohio budget proposal. Senators heard no testimony on the changes, and a full Senate vote is expected Wednesday. Once the Senate votes on the bill, it will be sent to a conference committee for reconciliation between the House and Senate.

More than 700,000 poor adult Ohioans currently get health coverage through the Medicaid expansion, 95 percent of which is covered by the federal government. Supporters have called the Medicaid expansion critical in helping the mentally ill and those dealing with opioid addiction.

But critics have been concerned about its growing cost.

The Medicaid Coalition, a group of about 200 provider associations, consumer groups and mental health organizations, said the freeze would “be a death knell for health coverage for hundreds of thousands of Ohioans.” The group also criticized new Medicaid work and premium requirements.

Sen. Michael Skindell, D-Lakewood, called the change “going backwards.”

Changes made Tuesday also would eliminate a Houseadded provision requiring the Kasich administration to come before the State Controlling Board every six months to get approval to spend Medicaid money.

Senate Republicans still want the administration to get Controlling Board approval before spending the state share of Medicaid expansion. A similar provision was tried two years ago, but Gov. John Kasich dodged it because there was enough money left over from Medicaid underspending to avoid needing to go to the Controlling Board.

Among other changes, the budget bill includes new graduation requirements for the Class of 2018.

Incoming seniors were supposed to be the first subjected to the new graduation standards in which, in addition to passing 20 credit hours, a student had to earn at least 18 of 35 points on seven end-of-course exams, post a remediationfree score on a college entrance exam or earn an industry credential.

Responding to school officials who warned that too many students were not on track to graduate, members of the Class of 2018 can, under the new provision, graduate if they meet at least two new requirements: 93 percent attendance, a 2.5 grade-point average, work while attending school or perform community service.

The Senate Finance Committee also altered the setback requirements for building wind turbines to make it easier to develop wind farms — a controversial Statehouse topic in recent years. Wind companies and environmental groups have argued that Ohio’s current requirements are too restrictive.

“This protects the property rights of those who do want it and those who don’t,” said Sen. Cliff Hite, R-Findlay.

Wind farms may not pop up inside I-270, but Sen. Kevin Bacon, R-Minerva Park, said the change can impact Franklin County economic development, such as when Columbus 2020 is trying to recruit high-tech firms that require a certain percentage of power must come from renewable sources.

“With our current wind setback, you don’t have many areas of the state where you can have windmills,” he said.

GOP leaders said the Senate budget was adjusted to fill a potential $1 billion revenue shortfall, $200 million more than Gov. John Kasich estimated in April. Lawmakers will soon hear new revenue and Medicaid spending updates.

“We are anticipating revenue numbers and Medicaid caseloads coming in this week that will take the gap above that,” said Senate President Larry Obhof, R-Medina. “The Senate tried very hard to make sure that we close 100 percent of that this week.”

Other Senate committee changes:

Allow employers to be sued if they prohibit concealed handgun licensees from storing a gun in his or her vehicle while parked at the employer’s property.

Require the state chancellor to develop criteria for students at for-profit universities to transfer credits to state institutions.

Permit the Board of Pharmacy to impose sanctions against a drug wholesaler or distributor for making false claims.

The House and Senate have until June 30 to work out their differences on the bill.