Medicaid cuts in Ohio: Who would pay the price?

Farah Siddiqi

Medicaid cuts being proposed in Congress could have widespread consequences in Ohio, particularly for hospitals and health-care facilities across the state.

Health-care professionals warn that if the cuts are anything as deep as what's being proposed so far, they could lead to job losses, reduced access to care and increased strain on emergency rooms.

Rick Lucas, president and executive director of the Ohio Nurses Association, said 19% of hospital payments come from Medicaid. But whether you're insured or not, he said, you would be affected if the program shrinks.

"Taking away Medicaid means taking away primary care -- that's all the care that happens away from the hospital," he said. "Even if you have insurance, if you come into the hospital, there's going to be backups and delays that could be catastrophic. Stroke symptoms could be missed, heart attacks could be missed - because the E.R. is just drowning in patients."

According to the American Federation of Teachers, which also represents some health care workers, Medicaid cuts could result in significant job losses across Ohio's health-care sector.

Opponents of Medicaid expansion have argued that scaling back funding is necessary to control state budgets and reduce dependency on government programs.

Those who disagree with the cuts proposed in the U.S. House -- of more than $880 billion over 10 years -- have said they'd disproportionately affect lower-income people and rural communities.

For rural areas such as Appalachia, where health care options are already limited, Lucas said the effects could be even more severe. Patients may delay necessary treatment, leading to worse health outcomes and higher infant mortality.

He pointed out that these are services all Ohioans depend on.

"This is going to affect everybody," he said. "People aren't using these program dollars to go to Disneyland. They're using them to go to the dentist, and to seek primary-care services."

The potential cuts would affect nearly 3 million Ohioans, including children, retirees, veterans and low-income workers. As the debate over Medicaid funding continues, health care providers and policymakers appear to be sharply divided on the best path forward for Ohio's health care system.