In a letter to Gov. Strickland, the bishops stressed the importance of Medicaid to provide "sound policy that goes beyond balancing the Medicaid budget at the expense of patient care, well-paying jobs and other investment that we are making in our communities," according to the report. The bishops stated that proposed fee hikes and other changes would exacerbate the current financial troubles of health and human services programs.
The letter also said that a proposed franchise fee would cost Ohio’s Catholic hospitals $75 million, according to the report.
The concerns of the bishops are similar to those of the Ohio Hospital Association.
The franchise fee would cost all Ohio hospitals a total of $598 million, but they would receive only $187 million back through a 5 percent update in Medicaid reimbursement rates, according to the report.
Read the Business Courier’s report on the Ohio bishops’ Medicaid cuts warning.
