Catholic Conference of Ohio The official voice of the Catholic Church in Ohio on matters of public policy and government relations.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio submitted interested party testimony on HB 795, urging the House Medicaid Committee not to reverse the years-long policy of supporting family caregivers, and instead to seek targeted, proportional means to address bad actors committing fraud and abuse. CCO wrote, "Many family members forego other employment opportunities and struggle to make ends meet as they selflessly work to sustain the lives of their loved ones in need of this [life-sustaining] assistance. This is a clear, pro-family policy for those who need it most. [Family members] receiving payments for essential care should not lose the small benefits they receive because of bad actors who must be held accountable."

UPDATE: HB 795 has been amended to remove the ban on family members' ability to be paid by Medicaid for providing personal care services to relatives. We are grateful for this revision. 

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The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in front of the Senate Health Committee in support of House Bill 324 (R-A. Mathews | R-Craig), the Patient Protection Act. The bill previously passed the House. CCO stated, "HB 324 employs reasonable safeguards on the dispensing of medications known to cause serious adverse effects by requiring that patients be assessed and fully informed as to the associated risks in order to be free to consent to a recommended course of treatment." Due regard for the dignity of human life and the integral good of each person warrants more prudent and humane measures when dispensing pharmaceuticals with a higher rate of adverse effects.

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