Ohio has accepted a federal challenge to obtain health care coverage for uninsured children. The state will try to place another 77,000 uninsured young people in the Medicaid program. Director of the federal Medicaid program Cindy Mann says Ohio was first state to sign on.
She says some families don't know their children are eligible for health care coverage. Mann admits, though, in many cases "it's red tape....confusion, paperwork, added processes in government that we don't have any time for anymore."
Mann says Ohio has made several changes to its Medicaid program. Those include a guarantee that children in the program will be covered for one year even if the family income increases. Also, Ohio will try to quickly qualify children who are receiving food assistance or other benefits.