COLUMBUS, Ohio — Thousands of Ohioans who rely on Medicaid could potentially be kicked off their coverage plan in the upcoming months.

That's because Ohio will reevaluate income and eligibility for the first time since the expansion was put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical professionals are concerned with the potential of thousands losing their coverage and with the way Medicaid has been set up.

Ohio homecare agencies that work with vulnerable adults like senior citizens are also asking for more money this year in Medicaid on committee floor.

"A lot of people don't even know that these rules are changing," said Dr. Matt Noordsij-Jones. "So that's the other scary part is trying to just get awareness out there." 

Dr. Noordsij-Jones deals with all types of patients, including people who are covered by federal Medicaid. He said he heard nearly 200,000 people could potentially lose their coverage. 

"Because during the pandemic, they didn't automatically kick people off as their income changed and they didn't have to reapply like they normally did before," Dr. Noordsij-Jones said. 

The federal government has brought the expansion with COVID-related Medicaid funds to an end and is asking states to determine who is actually eligible. 

Lisa Lehmden-Zidek is the board chair of the Ohio Council for Homecare & Hospice and said that although COVID and Medicaid are huge, another problem is looming. 

"The typical home health aide visit that's considered personal care or homemaking is roughly reimbursed around $17 to $18," Lehmden-Zidek said. "Thus leaving most agencies to really only be able to pay their home health aides between $10 and $12 an hour. 

She says that the low wages from Medicaid have led to a worker gap and hopes they could receive extra funds from the state budget. 

"We did receive a 6.1% increase in the last budget," Lehmden-Zidek said."However, somewhere between 1998 and 2021, there was an adjustment made to Medicaid, which actually took us down below 1998 rates."

Republican Senator Mark Romanchuk sits as the Chair of the Medicaid Committee and said they are looking to increase funds. 

"Those are the discussions we're currently having as we work through the state budget," said Romanchuk, R-Ontario. "This will all happen inside of the budget that will be eventually passed and signed into law by June 30th and all these reimbursement rates are going to look at it, be looked at." 

He said that even kicking people off of Medicaid is not a bad thing. 

"If somebody is being removed, it's because their income level has increased and they've moved on and they no longer need Medicaid," Romanchuk said. "So in fact, we had to celebrate that because we know somebody has moved on to either the exchange or moved into employment and they're likely receiving their health care through their employer." 

Democratic Sen. Catherine Ingram, who is also a ranking member on the Medicaid Committee, said that she is worried. 

"My fear is, is that I don't think from what I hear, that we've done a very good job of prepping folks for the cliff," said Ingram,D-Cincinnati. "What was the moment that we said things to them like, oh, by the way, Medicaid is making changes and we're going to people will be taken off the rolls. But we haven't done a good job with telling people what that really means." 

If your family's income is at or under 138% of the federal poverty guideline, you can qualify for Medicaid this year. If you are 18 or younger and your family's income is at or under 211% of the federal poverty guideline, you can also qualify for Medicaid. 

The topic of Medicaid is currently in committee hearings.