In Ohio, the program is called Healthy Start. It is open to children 19 and younger whose families earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level and parents and caregivers of minor children who earn less than 90 percent of the federal poverty level.
To qualify for the bonus, states had to adopt at least five of eight measures that would make it easier for parents to enroll their children in each state’s prospective program, said Ben Johnson, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Of the eight, Ohio adopted 12-month continuous coverage, no face-to-face interview requirement, no asset tests or simplified asset verification, joint application and the same information verification process for separate Medicaid and CHIP programs and presumptive eligibility.
Following those moves, Medicaid enrollment of children in Ohio increased this past year by 9 percent, or by about 92,500 children.
With the bonus money, states must enroll more currently eligible children. Ohio has not determined how the bonus payments will be spent, Johnson said.
As of October, there were about 2.1 million Ohioans enrolled in Medicaid, Johnson said.
Contact this reporter at astuckey@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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