State officials are holding a public hearing on a proposal to require more than 1 million low-income Ohioans to pay a new monthly cost for Medicaid.
House Republicans inserted plans for the so-called Healthy Ohio Program into the state budget last year. The idea requires federal approval.
Republican Gov. John Kasich's administration must first seek a waiver of federal Medicaid rules so that the state can require certain Medicaid recipients to pay into a health-savings account regardless of their income.
A hearing on the draft waiver was planned for Thursday in Columbus.
On a Wednesday conference call, Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said the proposal would make it harder for people to access health care.
Republican supporters claim the changes would encourage "personal responsibility" in Medicaid.