HPIO Analysis Finds Medicaid Expansion Generated $1.6 Billion in Federal Dollars for Behavioral Health Treatment in Ohio in 2024

New analysis from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio has found that Medicaid expansion brought in more than $1.6 billion in federal funds in 2024 to pay for behavioral health services such as outpatient counseling, psychiatric medical services and residential drug treatment programs, as illustrated above.
 
Click here to view the new report
 
If Medicaid expansion is eliminated, the state would have to cover those costs or face significant reductions in treatment availability. Maintaining current state investments and replacing even 50% of the federal funds would cost Ohio more than $999 million a year.
 
Behavioral health conditions are common among Ohioans, including those with Medicaid coverage. In 2024, 40% of Ohioans enrolled in Medicaid expansion had a primary mental health or substance use disorder (SUD) diagnosis.
 
“If expansion was discontinued, many Ohioans would lose access to treatment,” according to the brief. “Policy priorities such as improving supports for recovery and re-entry and suicide prevention could be curtailed.”
 
The findings are included in the first in a series of policy briefs in HPIO’s 2025 Ohio Medicaid Expansion Study.
 
Ohio policymakers are considering discontinuation of Medicaid expansion coverage if the federal government reduces the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) (i.e., federal match) for this group below the current 90% federal contribution. This decision would impact approximately 770,000 Ohioans. HPIO’s recently released Policy Considerations: The Future of Group VIII (expansion) Medicaid Coverage in Ohio brief contains more general information and considerations about Medicaid expansion coverage as policymakers consider the future of the program.

MHIA: A Partner in Accessing Mental Health Care - Ohio Department of Insurance Director French Column

May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a powerful reminder that mental wellness begins with access to the care we need. But for many, the first step toward getting that care is understanding how mental health insurance benefits work in a health plan.

That is where the Ohio Mental Health Insurance Assistance Office (MHIA), the state’s official mental health insurance resource, comes in. MHIA makes navigating mental health insurance easier, less stressful, and more empowering.

As part of the Ohio Department of Insurance, MHIA is a reliable resource for mental health insurance education and support. We assist individuals, families, behavioral health specialists and other healthcare professionals, employers, caregivers, and advocates in understanding and using insurance benefits for mental health treatment.

Whether someone has mental health insurance in a health plan through an employer, a government program, bought it directly including with the help of an agent, or are uninsured, MHIA can help determine what mental health services may be covered, costs, coverage limits, care, assist with claim denial complaints and appeals, and explain insurance options.

To get started, visit insurance.ohio.gov/getmhia. You will find wide-ranging, easy-to-follow informational materials and complaint and appeal guidance. You can also request a speaker and schedule a training event through the site.

Mental health care should never feel out of reach. The more we all know about mental health insurance, the better. MHIA is here to help.

Provided by Ohio Department of Insurance Director Judith L. French

MHIA is Here for You: Request a Mental Health Insurance Speaker or Educational Event

Do you have a group or event that could benefit from clear, unbiased information about mental health insurance benefits in a health plan? Understanding mental health coverage is often the first step in helping people access the care and ongoing support they need.

The Ohio Mental Health Insurance Assistance Office (MHIA), the state’s official mental health insurance resources, is here to help. Through its speaker’s bureau and educational engagement efforts, MHIA offers free expert-led presentations and training sessions tailored in simplistic terms to the needs of individuals, families, behavioral health specialists and other healthcare providers, employers, advocates, and community organizations to explain mental health insurance benefits and how to access care.

Whether it is an employee event, webinar, community health fair, professional training, and more, MHIA, which is part of the Ohio Department of Insurance, can provide valuable insights about mental health insurance benefits. Visit insurance.ohio.gov/getmhia to request a speaker and/or an event and to access mental health insurance information.

Reach out to MHIA at 855-GET-MHIA (855-438-6442) and [email protected] with any questions!

This information was provided by the Ohio Department of Insurance’s Ohio Mental Health Insurance Assistance Office.

The White House Wants to Avoid Medicaid Cuts. To GOP Hard-Liners, They’re Essential.

The fate of Republicans’ sweeping domestic policy bill is snagged on a crucial question: Are deep cuts to Medicaid, the federal health care program covering nearly 80 million Americans, something to be avoided? Or are they the whole point of pursuing the legislation?

That clash — with the White House on one side and GOP hard-liners in Congress on the other — is now playing out in closed-door meetings and in the hallways of Capitol Hill as the party rushes to write the megabill and potentially cut more than a half-trillion dollars from the safety-net health program over the coming decade.