Ohio’s budget-busting Medicaid expansion trend continues

If Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s presidential campaign had taken off the way his Medicaid expansion did, he would have won more than one primary.

Kasich’s decision to put working-age adults with no kids and no disabilities on Medicaid cost federal taxpayers nearly $4 billion in the past 10 months, and remains on track to double his 2014-20 cost projection of $14 billion.

Based on Ohio Department of Medicaid expenditure reports, expanding Medicaid under the 2010 federal health law has cost $3.9 billion since last July and $7.9 billion since January 2014. Ohio’s Obamacare expansion cost $397 million in April alone.

RELATED: Ohio Medicaid expansion costs top $7.5 billion

Kasich’s Obamacare expansion has already had a staggering impact on Ohio General Revenue Fund spending, and will crowd out other priorities as the state share of benefit costs increases from zero to 10 percent in the next few years.

“April GRF disbursements, across all uses, totaled $3,315.7 million and were $300.1 million (9.9%) above estimate,” the Ohio Office of Budget and Management reported. Obamacare expansion costs were more than 10 percent of GRF spending for the month.

April enrollment, at 672,000, will be revised higher if previous Ohio Department of Medicaid caseload reports are any indicator. Because of backdated

Article source: https://health.einnews.com/article/325862297/LiSTW7-7IzzQR8TV?ref=rss&ecode=uiQ1mLaH2KVPSS4e