House Bill 578 (Rep. Dale Miller) would extend time limits for welfare recipients from three years to five years. Current time limits are sending people out into the workforce before completing education and job training necessary to support a family. Especially devastated are new immigrants, who face cultural, language and educational barriers to employment.

Status: Sponsor testimony took place on November 28, 2000. Direct correspondence on the bill to members of the Finance and Appropriations committee, especially vice-chair, Rep. E.J. Thomas.

A $647 million shortfall in the state’s Medicaid budget is raising concerns among advocates about needed health care spending in the next budget. Roughly $250 million of the shortfall comes from state funds; the rest is federal matching funds. The state has sought additional funds from both the Controlling Board and legislature.

Governor Taft has asked all state agencies to maintain current funding levels. That will be tough, in light of increased Medicaid costs. Medicaid covers both aged, blind and disabled (ABD) people, as well as low-income children and families.

Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) has not released an analysis of where overspending has occurred, but attributes it to a variety of sources: increased costs of caring for the declining nursing home population; higher prescription and hospital costs; increases in provider payments; and a rise in low-income children’s and families’ enrollment.

The shortfall comes after many years in which the ODJFS, which administers Medicaid, spent way less than budgeted and enjoyed tremendous declines in Medicaid enrollment. Savings from both welfare and Medicaid declines went toward tax cuts, instead of being invested in more health coverage. Despite the shortfall, the state is expected to end the fiscal year with a surplus exceeding $100 million, according to Budget Director Tom Johnson.

Meanwhile, advocates for low-income families, such as The Ohio Family Coverage Coalition, are pushing the legislature to raise eligibility for working parents up to 150% of poverty. ODJFS studies show that people leaving welfare earn an average of 125% poverty. Many studies show that most workers under 150% of poverty do not receive health coverage at work. Thus, most working parents are uninsured.

At the same time, advocates for people with disabilities are pushing for more personal assistance funds and other programs to keep people out of nursing homes and at work.