Ohio House Makes Changes to the Biennium Budget – to include more money for hospitals

House Democrats made changes to the biennium budget this week, with additional Medicaid spending among the major updates to Governor Strickland’s original $54.37 billion plan. The new bill HB 1 includes increased hospital Medicaid fees to generate a higher return for the institutions. The majority caucus said its plan increases general revenue fund spending by $167 million in the first year and $211 million in the second, and those increases are expected to draw down another $211 million in federal match over the biennium. Also of importance to physicians is an addendum to the bill that extends the prompt pay law to apply to Medicaid Managed Care plans. The updated substitute version of the bill may be viewed by going to: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=128_HB_1