Medicaid is a state and federally funded health care coverage plan providing assistance to certain low-income and medically vulnerable people. Ohioans eligible for Medicaid are entitled to all medically necessary services. The state cannot limit the number of eligible persons enrolled in Medicaid or deny access to medically necessary services in order to control costs. Unlike most private insurance plans, Medicaid carries no deductibles or copayments. If a doctor accepts a Medicaid card, Medicaid pays the entire bill.
The program is administered by state agencies, thus the regulations governing Medicaid vary from state to state. In Ohio, Medicaid applications are processed through county Job and Family Services offices. Depending on which Medicaid service(s) you are receiving, other state agencies and non-profits may administer your care. At the federal level, Medicaid is administered by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
In southwestern Ohio, Council on Aging administers several Medicaid programs that provide home and community based services for older and disabled adults: PASSPORT and the Assisted Living Waiver are the two primary programs.
If you are new to Medicaid, the information in this section of our resource directory — Medicaid 101 — should help you gain a broad understanding of what services Medicaid provides and how to apply. To help you navigate this section, we've organized the Medicaid topics as lessons. If you are new to Medicaid — or don't know anything about Medicaid — we suggest clicking through the lessons in order (01, 02, 03, etc.). If you are familiar with Medicaid and know what information you are looking for, just click the lesson description that best meets your needs.
If you need help, you can always contact our Call Center at (513) 721-1025.