I don’t know how much ordinary Ohioans know about the Kasich administration’s Office of Health Transformation. The Governor created it by Executive Order on January 13, 3011 with two goals: “to plan for the long-term efficient administration of the Ohio Medicaid program, and act to improve overall health system performance in Ohio.” The Executive Order lays out the problems in our health care system pretty well – we’re spending too much on health care, “yet higher spending is not resulting in higher quality or better outcomes.” (see www.healthtransformation.ohio.gov).
Recognizing that fragmented Medicaid policy, spending administration leads to sub-optimal performance, OHT has united the various state agencies with Medicaid funding under OHT, as the single decision-maker. Fragmented agencies have become a team with one set of goals – better care, better outcomes, and lower costs.
OHT Executive Director, Greg Moody, has been meeting with stakeholders – including consumer advocates – presenting his view of the problems and solutions. Rather than cut back on vital services for the vast majority of Medicaid enrollees. it makes sense to find savings in areas of greatest Medicaid spending – hospitals and nursing homes. He emphasizes that 5 per cent of Medicaid enrollees account for 50% of spending. While some of the 5% have high health needs and are receiving appropriate care, some are receiving fragmented care that leads to avoidable hospitalizations and other avoidable spending.
