Statement from State Rep. Rachel Baker on Medicaid Accountability Legislation

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Rachel Baker  (D–Cincinnati), Ranking Member of the House Medicaid Committee, today issued the following statement on the following final passage of Senate Bill 315, with a bipartisan vote of 85-10.

“We can, and must, build a system to prevent and catch fraud to protect public resources, but we cannot do so at the expense of the very Ohioans Medicaid is meant to serve. I’m relieved that the final version of this bill will not cause major harm to Ohio’s most vulnerable. However, our responsibility is not just to avoid harm. We should be working to actively build a system where the most vulnerable aren’t fighting to be heard but are empowered to thrive. 

What concerned me about this debate was that too many people came into it convinced they already knew the answer. Some claimed that half of Medicaid is fraudulent. Others claimed fraud is not a problem at all. The truth is that we don’t actually know the full scope of the problem because, for years, the state has failed to adequately invest in oversight, auditing, and enforcement. You cannot make good policy based on assumptions, anecdotes, social media clips, or ‘government by YouTuber.’

If Ohio wants to seriously address fraud, we need facts, data, and a Medicaid system with the resources to conduct meaningful oversight. This bill alone does not solve that problem. The reason this legislation improved is because advocates, providers, patients, caregivers, and families demanded more from their government. They came to the Statehouse, shared their stories, and insisted that lawmakers consider the real-world consequences of these policies. They should not have had to fight this hard to be heard, but they did.

Because of their advocacy, Ohio House Democrats and members of the Medicaid committee were able to secure important changes that mitigated harm, strengthened protections, and improved the final product. Those improvements were not guaranteed. Voting yes ensured those changes remained in the bill and that the progress made through weeks of advocacy and negotiation was not lost.

That does not mean this bill is perfect. It does not mean fraud has been completely eliminated. It does not mean Ohio has finally provided Medicaid with the resources needed to conduct the level of oversight and enforcement that taxpayers deserve. There is still more work to do. But SB 315 is a step in the right direction for Medicaid for Ohioans.”