Medicaid entitlement for 43 - FY 2026 - T21

The Ohio Department of Medicaid received a $695,977,427.00 block grant award from the Centers for Medicaid and Chip Services (CMCS) under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP, CFDA 93.767) effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. This CHIP entitlement funding enables Ohio to maintain and expand health insurance coverage for low-income, uninsured children and eligible pregnant women through either a separate CHIP program, Medicaid expansion, or a combination of both approaches. The award supports comprehensive medical assistance services including eligibility determination, medical claims processing, and community outreach initiatives to promote healthcare enrollment and retention among vulnerable populations across Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid distributes this federal funding through sub-awards to county governments and community-based organizations throughout the state to deliver Medicaid eligibility determination services at the local level. Twenty-four sub-awardees, including county Job and Family Services departments (Summit, Geauga, Trumbull, and Warren counties), county commissioners' offices (Montgomery, Jackson, Wood, Shelby, Wyandot, Knox, Portage, and Fairfield counties), and nonprofit organizations (Community Action Organization of Scioto County), were awarded funding beginning in October 2025 to administer eligibility screening, enrollment processing, and related administrative functions that connect low-income Ohio residents to CHIP and Medicaid benefits.