Action Alert – Contact Your Legislator!

Legislators must involve people with disabilities in the Medicaid reform process.

Governor DeWine recently announced emergency initiatives that impact people who receive home and community-based services. These include:

• Statewide new provider moratorium
• Immediate payment suspension to high-risk providers
• Executive order for emergency rules
• Mandatory GPS Requirement for Electronic Visit Verification
• Mandatory EVV for Live-In Caregivers

It is important that legislators hear directly from you on how these initiatives impact the ability for people to receive in-home services. Next week the House Medicaid Committee will have hearings to address these issues and begin discussing Medicaid reforms. 

Here are steps you can take to share your story:

• Sign up for House Medicaid Committee notices: https://ohiohouse.gov/committees/medicaid/mailing-list-sign-up
• Contact Chair and other Committee members to tell them how HCBS programs impact you and your ability to be in the community: https://ohiohouse.gov/committees/medicaid
• Prepare testimony to submit to the Committee ahead of time: https://www.lwvohio.org/projects-1/how-to-write-testimony
• Once a hearing is scheduled, you can visit the Ohio House of Representatives website to submit your document: https://www.ohiohouse.gov/committees/medicaid/meetings

Protecting program integrity is important but when considering changes to systems of care, the people who use the services must be part of the solution. 

The changes proposed by Ohio to Medicaid home and community-based services will disproportionately harm individuals who rely on support with daily activities for employment, community living, health and wellbeing.  This is especially true because even with the much-needed investments made by Ohio’s General Assembly in the 2024-25 state budget, we are still experiencing a care giver crisis.

Share your story and contact your legislator!