On Oct. 1, thousands of refugees and members of similarly vulnerable immigrant subgroups living in Ohio – all of whom are considered lawfully present in the U.S. – will be deemed ineligible for health insurance through Medicaid.
Exactly how many people will lose care is unclear. The few county agencies contacted by Signal Statewide that were able to provide data offered a much higher estimate than the Ohio Department of Medicaid, which refused to explain the discrepancy.
The state said at least 3,500 immigrants will lose coverage, with another 3,000 possible. However, four of Ohio’s larger counties reached by Signal Statewide collectively pegged the number closer to 14,500 to 18,000, suggesting a higher statewide count…