Supporters of extending Medicaid coverage to more low-income Ohioans say they plan to hold off until July further work on putting the issue on the statewide ballot. John Begala of the Cleveland-based policy organization Center for Community Solutions, says backers have time to pursue a ballot initiative if the Legislature fails to extend Medicaid as proposed by Republican Governor John Kasich. Majority Republicans in the Ohio House dropped Medicaid expansion from the two-year state budget last month before sending it to the Senate. And Senate President Keith Faber has said his chamber's version of the budget will not include the expansion. Kasich says he's not opposed to putting the expansion on the ballot.
A group of lawmakers is studying possible changes to the Medicaid program.