COLUMBUS — Ohio House Republicans may be headed for an internal party showdown with Gov. John Kasich on Thursday as they plot a rare override of the governor vetoing their attempts to restrict his controversial Medicaid expansion program.
Hundreds rallied outside the Statehouse on Wednesday in support of the expansion, and both sides of the issue worked the phones in hopes of influencing the outcome of the vote counting going on behind closed doors during the House GOP caucus.
“We have a governor who has stood up to be counted and has done the right thing,” the Rev. Tim Arens, senior minister of First Congregational Church in Columbus, said at the rally.
“The Medicaid freeze would [push] those who are on the cliff completely…over the edge,” he said. “If an override of his veto happens, then we’re in big trouble, my friends. Medicaid health coverage is needed.”
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There has not been a veto override in Ohio since Dec. 7, 2006, when fellow Republicans overrode one of then-Gov. Bob Taft’s last actions in office. Mr. Taft had vetoed a bill that overwrote gun ordinances in Toledo and other cities.
Lawmakers’ Medicaid provision would require Mr. Kasich to seek approval under the federal health care law to freeze enrollment into the Medicaid expansion beginning on July 1, 2018, with only those suffering from mental illness or addiction exempt from the freeze. Those already in the program as of that date could remain covered as long as they meet the eligibility requirements. But those who drop off the program because of a change in their income or other eligibility status could not re-enroll later if things change again.
The state had estimated that as many as 500,000 people could lose coverage.
House Republicans had 59 votes to pass the budget last week, one shy of what would be needed to override. Speaker Cliff Rosenberger (R., Clarksville) must convince at least one of six Republicans who were “no” votes on final passage of the budget to join in an override while not sacrificing any others who might be squeamish about embarrassing their governor.
Should House Republicans succeed in gathering the votes, an override should be less difficult in the Senate where the budget bill passed 24-8. Twenty votes in the Senate are needed for an override. The Senate has a tentative session day scheduled for Wednesday.
One of the Republicans seeking to replace Mr. Kasich as governor, U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, of Wadsworth, weighed in on the dispute.
“As the Affordable Care Act continues to collapse under its own weight across the country, the law’s Medicaid expansion component threatens to cripple Ohio’s fiscal health at the state level as well, and I am committed to fighting alongside leaders at both the state and federal level to advance the healthcare reforms we need and deserve,” he said.
In his veto message, Mr. Kasich said the expansion has improved access to health care, decreased costly emergency room care, and helped participants look for and hold on to jobs.
“Further, this provision is in violation of federal law, which prohibits states from denying coverage to members of an otherwise eligible group,” the governor wrote. “This provision would eliminate any chance of these improvements continuing on a going forward basis — to the detriment of the state’s economy in general and needy Ohioans in particular.”
Also a potential target for an override is Mr. Kasich’s veto of a provision designed to ease the pain for counties and some public transit authorities from the loss of revenue from a now defunct sales tax on managed-care companies doing business with Medicaid.
Contact Jim Provance at: jprovance@theblade.com or 614-221-0496.
First Published July 5, 2017, 7:24 p.m.
