State Defends Controlling Board Decision On Medicaid Expansion To Ohio Supreme Court

State attorneys say an Ohio legislative panel acted consistently with state law and standard practice when it approved funding an expansion of the Medicaid program last month. Two anti-abortion groups and six state representatives are suing the state Controlling Board and Ohio's Department of Medicaid over the decision. They want the Ohio Supreme Court to order the board to declare its decision as void and stop Medicaid officials from using the board's approval to move forward with covering thousands more people under the federal-state health program. The groups and lawmakers say such a ruling is necessary to prevent serious harm to the checks and balances of government. Attorneys for Ohio said in a Monday court filing the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case and were improperly seeking relief.