Ohio hospitals are bracing for the worst as lawmakers consider cutting millions of people from Medicaid, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands without health insurance. The proposed cuts would significantly impact Northeast Ohio’s healthcare system, forcing hospitals to absorb the financial burden of caring for uninsured patients.
Hospitals already struggle to make ends meet due to Medicaid reimbursement rates, which are lower than the actual cost of care. If Medicaid coverage is lost, hospital shortfalls will grow, and they may be forced to reduce services or staff.
Rural hospitals, like Ashtabula Regional Medical Center, would bear the brunt of the cuts, as they already face significant challenges due to their remote location and limited workforce. Safety-net hospitals, such as MetroHealth System, also risk being severely impacted, as they treat a disproportionate share of low-income patients.
The impact on rural communities will be particularly devastating, with reduced access to care, financial instability for healthcare institutions, and further economic instability in surrounding areas.
Hospitals and health advocates are rallying against the proposed cuts, arguing that Medicaid is essential for maintaining health and economic stability. The Ohio Medicaid Matters coalition, comprising major human services agencies, health advocacy associations, and hospital systems, is urging lawmakers to maintain authority over Medicaid benefits.
If the cuts go through, it will have a “cataclysmic ripple effect” on the state and other states, according to Julie Washington, healthcare journalist at Cleveland.com. The federal government’s proposed cuts to Medicaid would threaten access to essential healthcare services for many people in Ohio, further exacerbating existing health disparities.
The Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth, Summa Health, and University Hospitals have all expressed concerns about the potential impact on their operations and finances. As one hospital chief financial officer noted, any reduction to the Medicaid program “would threaten access to healthcare services for patients and result in additional financial strain on all health systems across Northeast Ohio.”
Source: https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/04/cataclysmic-ripple-effect-how-medicaid-cuts-could-harm-ohios-economy.html