Ohio Republicans Gird For Fight Between Governor And Legislature Over Medicaid

The Associated Press:
GOP Gov. John Kasich Faces Health Care Clash At Home In Ohio

Republican legislators in Ohio are bracing for a veto fight with GOP Gov. John Kasich as the national health care debate hits the 2016 presidential contender on his home turf. Conservatives have called on the outspoken Kasich to set a national example by leaving in place a state budget provision calling for freezing new enrollment under Medicaid expansion starting July 1, 2018. Kasich must decide by midnight Friday. (Carr Smyth, 6/29)

Helena Independent Record:
Montana’s Medicaid Expansion Could End By 2019 Without New Federal Law

Montana’s Republican Sen. Steve Daines said in a call with constituents Wednesday night that Medicaid expansion, which now covers about 79,000 around the state, would likely end in 2019 regardless of a U.S. Senate bill expected to terminate the program by 2026. When Montana chose to join with 31 other states and expand Medicaid coverage to the working poor in 2015, the Legislature included a sunset clause that requires lawmakers in 2019 to reassess the program. Daines said he spoke Wednesday with state Sen. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, who helped craft the expansion bill, and Buttrey said he didn’t think legislators would vote to keep the program operating. (Michels, 6/29)

Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune:
Buttrey Says Sunset On Medicaid Plan Gives States More Control

Buttrey said Thursday he had a previous commitment and was unable to listen in on the townhall, but added he talked with Daines earlier. “I think it’s done exactly what we thought it would do,” he said of the expansion, adding he was surprised the numbers were high. But he said it was high because state moved some people from traditional Medicaid into the new program. … Officials with the governor’s office and Department of Public Health and Human Services said Medicaid expansion continues to save Montana over $20 million per year in standard Medicaid benefit costs. (Drake, 6/29)

Georgia Health News:
Health Plans For Many Medicaid Recipients About To Change

Tens of thousands of Georgia Medicaid beneficiaries are set to switch health plans over the weekend in an unprecedented shift in enrollment for the government program. July 1, which falls this Saturday, will mark the planned move of more than 200,000 enrollees to an Ohio-based “care management organization,’’ CareSource. (Miller, 6/29)