Persistence and Resistance
Posted March 10, 2017 in eNews
Protect our care: With the health and economic security of so many Ohioans hanging in the balance, we took a look at how the House GOP plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act is particularly bad for our state. The plan ends Medicaid expansion, which covered 700,000 Ohioans. It also changes the structure of Medicaid and how the federal government partners with states. For states like Ohio with an aging population and rising healthcare costs, this means less help from the federal government and even more people left uncovered.
Borders without doctors: Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University Center for Reducing Health Disparities, Jacqueline Dolata and Katrice D. Cain wrote an excellent guest blog which explored how a travel ban directed at Muslim-majority countries could affect the physician workforce in Ohio. You might be surprised to learn that 7 percent of Ohio doctors are Muslim. That's a significant number, especially considering that some parts of the state are experiencing a doctor shortage.
Budget Bites: We continue to carry the torch for smart investment in programs that make Ohio a safer, healthier and more prosperous state. In the last two weeks we've released five Budget Bites that compare what Ohio actually needs to what the governor proposes to invest in his 2018-2019 budget.
Senior Services
State policymakers have cut funding for senior services in half since 2011. Kasich's proposed 2018-2019 budget keeps funding flat and offers no relief.
Children's Services
Despite a rapidly growing caseload, funding for children's services has dropped 15 percent since 2010 - with no increase in the next budget.
Public Higher Education
The Inter-University Council of Ohio, says they needs $180 million a year to maintain quality and current services, but the governor's budget increases funding by less than $40 million a year. When accounting for inflation,funding has been flat for more than 10 years.
Affordable College
The proposed 2018-2019 budget underinvests in need-based aid for higher education by $150 million a year. Ohio ranks 45 of 50 states in
college affordability. Since 2010, Ohio's overall enrollment in public institutions dropped by 15.3 percent --more than any other state's.
Hunger Relief
The state invests about $20 million a year in food aid, but it's not meeting the need. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks has documented rising hunger in Ohio, and calls for an additional $10 million a year.