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Report says change to Ohio Medicaid could bring disruption of health care for millions

By Karen Kasler

Published January 28, 2022 at 3:13 PM EST

A treatment room at an urgent care clinic in greater Columbus [Karen Kasler / Statehouse News Bureau] — A treatment room at an urgent care clinic in greater Columbus

A change to Ohio Medicaid will require the around three million people in the program to notify the state in the next few months whether they want to stay with their current managed care provider or pick a new one.

A progressive group says that will result in many of those Ohioans running into trouble accessing their health care.

When a new fiscal year begins in July, the state will have three new managed care providers for Medicaid: Humana Healthy Horizons in Ohio, Amerihealth Caritas Ohio, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. They'll join four existing providers: United Healthcare Community Plan of Ohio, Molina Healthcare of Ohio, CareSourceOhio and Buckeye Community Health Plan.

A contract with a fifth provider, Paramount Health Care, was not renewed by the state, and Paramount sued, saying the contract-awarding process was biased. A judge dismissed the case in November.

Franklin County Commission president and Democratic former state Rep. Erika Crawley said people keeping their current managed care plan haven’t had to let the state know they are. But now they will, or they’ll be assigned to a provider by computer algorithm.

“As a result, people could experience obstacles or disruptions in their health plans and coverage, including having to change doctors, finding a new pediatrician for their child or a new hospital system to meet their plan’s criteria," Crawley said.

Crawley cited a report from Innovation Ohio showing young people, people of color, and women, particularly with transient or unstable living arrangements are likely to be the most affected.

“For Medicaid members who are hard to reach, have trouble responding because of busy or difficult lives, or are transient or face other obstacles, this would be particularly harmful," Crawley said. "And the abrupt nature of the plan change only makes matters worse."

Medicaid hasn’t said how it will notify people of the change and the action they need to take.