Medicaid money will be used to fill ADAP gaps

by Anthony Glassman

Columbus--Reacting to several months of alternating panic and rage over the Ohio and national AIDS Drug Assistance Programs, Gov. Ted Strickland on September 2 announced the allocation of Medicaid money to fill in funding gaps.

?As Ohioans are fighting their our way out of the Wall Street recession, this additional support could not have come at a more critical time for our hospitals and mental health system,? said Strickland. ?These investments will protect Ohio jobs and help us provide health services for Ohioans in need.?

The announcement noted that $12.8 million will go to Ryan White Part B and drug assistance programs. ?This assistance will sustain the program at its current levels through the remainder of the fiscal year,? Strickland said.

The overall Medicaid allocation is expected to be over $518 million. But $73.3 million is mandated by federal law to be sent through to state departments of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, Education, Aging, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. Another $38 million is required to go to Medicare Part D and foster and adoption services.

Of the remaining funds, only half is being allocated now. The remaining $243.8 million will be allocated after the governor?s office hears from the legislature, clients and medical professionals.

?It is important to exercise fiscal restraint and look beyond our immediate priorities so we are positioned to address needs that may arise in the coming months,? he said. ?That is how we will maximize these resources and help the greatest number of Ohioans.?

?Just because the state has received additional federal resources does not mean all of those resources must be spent immediately,? he continued.

The federal Recovery Act increases the proportion of Medicaid costs paid by the federal government, since Medicaid is a state-federal partnership. The increased proportion was set to expire at the end of the year, but Congress extended it for six months.

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