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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