Exhaustive list of issues identified, including 1,100 technology system defects.
Last week, Ohio Department of Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran released a 2019 year-end summary memo to Governor DeWine summarizing an exhaustive list of issues Ohio Medicaid inherited during its first year under the DeWine administration. According to the Department, Ohio Benefits, Ohio’s technology system that determines Medicaid eligibility, has nearly 1,100 defects. These defects include overwriting and eliminating documentation needed to prove eligibility, setting incorrect dates for benefit renewals, and in some cases, not triggering renewals at all.
Also highlighted in the report was the overall decline in the Medicaid caseload beginning in March 2017 and its negative effects. “…only a few states witnessed a significant degree of increased morbidity, as in Ohio. While Ohio’s trend was most concentrated with the Group 8 expansion, this increased morbidity is also evident in the Covered Families and Children population.“ the report stated.
Additionally, she criticized the last administration’s approach to managed care reimbursement of behavior health providers, multi-system youth and custody relinquishment, community engagements and work requirements waiver, PBMS, and Institutions for Mental Diseases Compliance and Financing, among others.
“Considerable time and resources have been dedicated to repairing Ohio’s Medicaid program over the course of the last year.”
She continued: “Though we have significant work ahead, our team is committed to restoring accountability to the Medicaid program and successfully implementing the priorities of this administration.”
Contact Kate Rossman for the full report.