WEBVTT 1 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:18.079 Five the fifty five carc detalk station. 2 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:24.160 Coming up. 3 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:26.719 Bottom of the hour, we'll hear from Donovan and Neil 4 00:00:26.719 --> 00:00:28.839 from Americans for Prosperity. I got that event coming up 5 00:00:28.839 --> 00:00:32.679 at the farm Restored Liberty dot Us is going to 6 00:00:32.679 --> 00:00:36.119 be there as well. George Brenneman and Americans for Prosperity 7 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:38.439 will be paying for your meal at the farm. So 8 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:40.240 we'll get the details from Donovan at the bottom of 9 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:42.679 the hour. Without further ado, Welcome back to the fifty 10 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:45.719 five Carscy Morning Show. High State Representative Jennifer Gross. Jennifer, 11 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:47.520 it's always a pleasure talking with you. Thanks for being 12 00:00:47.560 --> 00:00:48.520 on the program this morning. 13 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:51.320 Thank you, Ryan, Good morning. 14 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:56.159 So the elected officials in Columbus, I always refer to 15 00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.920 them as like hurting cats. It seems to me that Republicans, 16 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:02.719 you think Republicans would play nicer and cooperate more together, 17 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:05.560 but sadly, we don't see a whole lot of that. 18 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:07.640 It always just seems to be a mystery to me. 19 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:09.760 But moving away from that, and I don't want to 20 00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:11.959 put opinions or conclusions into your head or mouth, but 21 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:18.159 there are the lawmakers are considering repealing the Medicaid expansion, 22 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:23.439 a Medicaid expansion, which I suppose occurred back in twenty fourteen, 23 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:27.040 and they're saying they need to do that. We don't 24 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:28.920 have the money here in the state of Ohio unless 25 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:31.280 the federal money that comes in in support of the 26 00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:36.000 medicaid program covers ninety percent of those that were at 27 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:38.040 that enter the system under the expansion. Do I have 28 00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:38.760 that accurate? 29 00:01:40.280 --> 00:01:43.760 Well, that we want to get rid of it, maybe 30 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:46.920 not accurate. The fact that the federal government pays ninety 31 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:47.840 cents of every. 32 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:48.319 Dollar for it. 33 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:53.400 Absolutely That's why it was so attractive when Kasik pressured 34 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:57.719 the people who buy and large did not want medicaid expansions. 35 00:01:57.799 --> 00:01:59.319 So, yes, you got that correct. 36 00:01:59.719 --> 00:02:02.760 Isn't is it medicaid or Medicare. That is one of 37 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:04.560 the biggest line items in the state. 38 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:07.239 Budget, Medicaid. 39 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:11.159 So remember that Medicare is a federal program that we're 40 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:15.199 required to go on, and then Medicaid is an entitlement program, 41 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:17.479 and that's what we call them because you are entitled 42 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:23.080 to receive these benefits under traditional medicaid, you are entitled. 43 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:28.280 So if you're blind, disabled, elderly, pregnant mom who is 44 00:02:28.439 --> 00:02:32.120 low income, pregnant mom and a low income child that 45 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:36.000 was traditional medicaid, And in fact, I'm the chair of 46 00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:41.240 the Medicaid Committee, So we're trying to like protect our 47 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:45.319 traditional medicaid group because I think as a society that's 48 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:49.039 the part that we pretty much as Ohioans, we believe 49 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:52.639 those people need to be protected, and so we're looking 50 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:55.199 at that group to be sure that we try to 51 00:02:55.240 --> 00:02:59.120 maintain it's, you know, we need to have like Civic 52 00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:04.199 Conda Civic Medicaid and not Cadillact Medicaid because what I 53 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:06.560 see and what I'm noting is in some cases and 54 00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:10.639 those people on Medicaid may not always agree, but you and. 55 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:12.360 Your private insurance. 56 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:17.199 Probably are dealing with things that you that you do 57 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:19.840 and wouldn't have to face on Medicaid. For instance, a 58 00:03:19.960 --> 00:03:25.319 child on Medicaid gets mental care and vision, so we 59 00:03:25.560 --> 00:03:29.120 don't offer that on a traditional medical plan through your 60 00:03:29.159 --> 00:03:33.400 traditional insurance, so and mental health through our medicaid. A 61 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:36.560 lot of mental health providers try to get Medicaid because 62 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:41.599 we reimburse higher than traditional medicine, and sometimes traditional medicine 63 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:45.599 makes you pay cash for your psychiatric health or mental 64 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:48.400 health care. So there's there are some good things about 65 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:52.879 our Medicaid system. The challenge, like any program, is you know, 66 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:55.199 our number one expense on our snap which is our 67 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:59.599 food stamp program, is soda pop. So the challenge is 68 00:04:00.120 --> 00:04:03.319 what's required, right, like what is compassionate? 69 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:04.520 What is loving? 70 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:09.439 What is and what's compassionate to the taxpayer. Also, we 71 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:13.280 have to not throw out compassion to the medicaid population 72 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:18.879 and then be uncompassionate or dispassionate to the person paying 73 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:20.600 the bill, which is a middle class. 74 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:23.279 I mean, you're earning eighty eight thousand family. 75 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:26.279 Of four, which which is not high on the hog. 76 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:29.519 You don't qualify for Medicaid, but you're paying all these benefits. 77 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:32.480 So yeah, finding a balance is important. 78 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:32.959 Now. 79 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:35.519 Prior to the expansion, I mean, what this group, the 80 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:39.160 expanded group? In what way was it expanded? Were the 81 00:04:39.160 --> 00:04:42.639 income levels done away with? Or how do we end 82 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:45.839 up with this many people getting on the program? I 83 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:49.240 think what it jumped a sizeable percentage after the expansion 84 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:49.480 went in. 85 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:55.279 Well, it's a challenge because you either do it all 86 00:04:55.639 --> 00:04:58.879 or none. You can't do partial expansions. So the agreement 87 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:03.040 was you spand and so the states said, well, gosh, 88 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:06.240 we only have to pay ten cents and the federal 89 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:08.959 government's going to pay ninety cents, which you and I 90 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:12.560 can have a long discussion about autonomy and sovereignty and 91 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:15.639 why would we take, you know, those golden handcuffs from 92 00:05:15.639 --> 00:05:19.759 the federal government. Right but it was even under a 93 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:25.399 Republican governor caseiic and in many cases the states that yeah, 94 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:28.720 and the people that are expanding are under government right 95 00:05:28.759 --> 00:05:34.160 now Republican governors. So but anyway, so they said they 96 00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:37.360 kind of lured us in with that. Then the population 97 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:41.439 qualification is if you're earning one hundred and thirty three 98 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:47.199 percent or less of poverty level, and you know, and 99 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:49.959 so people got on the challenges. There are some and 100 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:51.439 there aren't tall There are a lot of people that 101 00:05:51.480 --> 00:05:55.560 are working that are making under the minimum, but there 102 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:58.160 are a lot of really good jobs out there right now. 103 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:01.199 And some people, not all I don't want to you know, 104 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:02.959 have a lot of hate mail to my box. But 105 00:06:03.399 --> 00:06:06.199 there are some people who purposely don't work above a 106 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:09.560 limit because they don't want to lose their Medicaid benefits. 107 00:06:09.879 --> 00:06:13.199 And so we're looking at that. And right now you 108 00:06:13.240 --> 00:06:16.480 may have seen yesterday that the federal government is talking 109 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:20.240 about cutting eight hundred and eighty billion dollars of Medicaid 110 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:22.160 benefits from the Fed. 111 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:24.199 They're not going to. 112 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:26.439 Tell the states they have to, but what that means 113 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:29.839 is you, Brian, get to pay the difference. So if 114 00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:34.519 the federal government stops spending ninety cents of the dollar, 115 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:38.399 then ohilends will pick up another ten twenty thirty forty cents, 116 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:41.079 which is a lot of money. 117 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:42.879 That we call the people that. 118 00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:46.879 Were the expansion Group eight. These are people that are 119 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:52.199 not making enough money right now to qualify for healthcare. 120 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:57.639 I mean to to not to not they're not making 121 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.720 they're making as little money as possible to be able 122 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:05.399 to qualify, and or they're working really hard and they 123 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:08.480 can't make enough money to qualify for insurance. 124 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:11.079 Okay, and I understand that component. But you know, if 125 00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:13.399 you add up all the government benefits that are available 126 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:15.639 to someone, I think you have to make at least 127 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:18.600 like forty thousand dollars a year to cover what the 128 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:21.160 government will give you for free. So there's a real 129 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:23.800 disincentive to work there. But we used to have at 130 00:07:23.879 --> 00:07:26.600 least I thought we had in place work requirements that 131 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:30.199 you had to show some initiative and some effort to 132 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:34.360 gain employment. Or go to continuing education classes or education 133 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:37.439 classes so you could obtain employment. Is there anything remotely 134 00:07:37.480 --> 00:07:39.839 close to that now and are they considering something along 135 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:40.399 those lines? 136 00:07:41.480 --> 00:07:45.240 Great question, Brian. We had one that we had submitted 137 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:51.800 right before Biden was chosen to be president, and what 138 00:07:52.040 --> 00:07:54.399 happened was the Biden administration stopped that. 139 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:55.839 So we have not had. 140 00:07:55.680 --> 00:08:00.959 Work requirements for the last four years. The legislature as 141 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:05.519 well as the Medicaid the Ohio Department of Medicaid through 142 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:08.600 buy a requirement of the legislature will. 143 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:09.759 Filed for a waiver. 144 00:08:10.040 --> 00:08:12.480 So that's the other thing that's really I think that 145 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:15.800 I really want your listeners and you to hear, is 146 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:19.360 that most of the changes we make to our medicaid system, 147 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:21.519 a lot of them, we have to go back to 148 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:24.240 the federal government because we've taken this money and asked 149 00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:28.199 their permission to do it. So those golden handcuffs came 150 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:31.360 with you have to provide this, this and this, you 151 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:33.600 must do this, this and this, and if we want 152 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:35.360 to change anything, we have to go back to the 153 00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:38.320 federal government and say, pretty please, pretty please, can we. 154 00:08:38.279 --> 00:08:39.240 Change our program? 155 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:42.240 And so that's what I've been asking, you know, my 156 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:47.240 Congressman and Warren Davidson, as well as our Senator Bernie Marino, 157 00:08:47.559 --> 00:08:51.360 and I haven't had the conversation with the newest Senator Houston, 158 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:55.320 but that we need more flexibility at the state level 159 00:08:55.320 --> 00:09:00.200 to be able to manage our program locally. So out 160 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:02.759 for work requirements in December, we said we are, we 161 00:09:02.919 --> 00:09:06.840 had the intent to file and then when medicate. Oh 162 00:09:06.840 --> 00:09:09.360 and here's the beautiful thing. Think about this. So the 163 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:16.200 legislature says we want a waiver, I the legislature have 164 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:19.960 to go through the department chair and in that case 165 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:24.159 it's the Ohio Department of Medicaid director have her right 166 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:29.879 the waiver and she negotiates with the federal government. So 167 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:34.000 I have an unelected bureaucrat negotiating with the federal government 168 00:09:34.039 --> 00:09:36.919 for what the legislature is saying needs to be done. Now, 169 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:40.759 there's typically a fairly good back and forth in relationship there. 170 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:45.080 But why we have to go through bureaucrats to get 171 00:09:45.080 --> 00:09:47.759 what we want right? And that's in everything. So if 172 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:52.159 we change, for instance, we take soda out of the 173 00:09:53.080 --> 00:09:57.440 SNAP program, we have to go back to the federal government. 174 00:09:57.519 --> 00:10:00.000 We have to ask them we would like to remove 175 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:02.399 this from our food program. 176 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:02.240 You know. 177 00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:05.679 And I think people need to understand it's not just 178 00:10:05.960 --> 00:10:09.799 Jennifer Gross, chair of the first Ohio House Medicaid Committee 179 00:10:10.600 --> 00:10:13.919 in our history, she can do all this. No, I mean, 180 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:17.000 we can come up with ideas for that. But let 181 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:21.080 me get back to you had asked me about some 182 00:10:21.159 --> 00:10:25.879 of these people the group aid are healthy, able bodied 183 00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:30.320 people that can work. These are not people that have disability. 184 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:35.559 They're not blind, they're not elderly, they're not developmentally delayed teenagers. 185 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:39.159 These are all people that are able bodied. So we 186 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:43.480 have now submitted a work requirement for that group that 187 00:10:44.840 --> 00:10:49.360 is and it's changing right now. It's in a more state. 188 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:52.399 But you have to work a minimum of twenty hours 189 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:55.919 a week, or go to school twenty hours a week, 190 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:59.679 or be taking care of an elderly parent twenty hours 191 00:10:59.720 --> 00:11:02.200 a week, and that has to be you know confirmed. 192 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:05.159 And then I believe we also have a drug rehab 193 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:07.879 component in there as well. A lot of our group 194 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:09.320 bates do have you know. 195 00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:10.879 Addiction issues. 196 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:14.799 So those people we won't be able to, you know, 197 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:16.960 really work with as much. 198 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:18.799 But you can get them into a program that might 199 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:21.559 ultimately help them by helping them kick the addiction. It's 200 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:24.600 a vehicle to get them clean. But Jennifer, I want 201 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:26.279 to hold you over. I got more questions, and I'm 202 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:29.120 sure my listener are curiosity is quite piqued about this. 203 00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:32.399 So let's keep Jennifer Gross on the line and let 204 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:36.159 me mention Zimmer HVAC for three generations. This is a 205 00:11:36.240 --> 00:11:39.960 very proud company, the Zimmer family third generation with Chris 206 00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:42.919 Zimmer at the helm of Zimmer Heating and air Conditioning 207 00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:44.960 for all of your heating and air conditioning needs. Are 208 00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:47.879 the ones to call. Customer service will be fantastic, the 209 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:50.559 price will always be right. They have maintenance programs to 210 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:53.240 help prolong the life of your HVAC system. 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Go ahead, do it simply 221 00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:23.759 and easily on the website, or call Chris Zimmer at 222 00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:26.879 five one three five two one ninety eight ninety three 223 00:12:26.919 --> 00:12:28.279 and tell them Brian said hi when you do it 224 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:31.080 five one three five two one ninety eight ninety three. 225 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.919 Again online, it's go Zimmer dot com. 226 00:12:33.960 --> 00:12:37.279 This is fifty five KRC, an iHeartRadio station. 227 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:40.919 My name is Kryle Tequila. 228 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:44.200 There's your Channel nine weather forecast slicks on the roads 229 00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:47.080 out there. Please be careful this morning. I have twenty 230 00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:50.440 two today cloudy skies and overnight down to thirteen with 231 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:54.200 clouds thirty tomorrow. The flood warning ends at one thirty 232 00:12:54.200 --> 00:12:57.519 in the afternoon. We'll get some sun too, Overnight down 233 00:12:57.559 --> 00:13:00.639 to thirteen with clouds and warming up to thirty seven 234 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:04.840 on Saturday with mostly clear skies. Fourteen grades. Right now, 235 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:06.679 let's see what Chuck has on traffic. 236 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:09.720 From the UCL Traffic Center. You see Healthy. You'll time 237 00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:13.559 comprehensive care. That's so personal it makes your best tomorrow possible. 238 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:16.799 That's boundless care for better outcomes. Expect more. You see 239 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:19.840 health dot com southbound seventy five. Crews are working with 240 00:13:19.879 --> 00:13:23.240 an accident above two seventy five. Right lanes are blocked, 241 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:26.759 then all lanes blocked on southbound seventy five at Paddock 242 00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:29.600 due to a wreck involving a semi with a fuel spill. 243 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:32.840 South two seventy five break lights between Lawrence Perg and 244 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:36.120 the bridge. In bound seventy four back to Montana. Shot 245 00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:38.879 King ramon fifty five KRCD talk station. 246 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:42.559 Seven twenty fifty five krc DE talk station by Thomas 247 00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:46.080 talking with the highest state representative, Jennifer Gross, member of 248 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:49.600 the Ohio Medicaid Committee. Reaching out through the cecuitus process. 249 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:53.000 You got to go through to ask the federal government 250 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:56.279 for a waiver for a work requirement. That seems just preposterous, 251 00:13:56.600 --> 00:13:58.720 but you explained it. It's there. You got to live 252 00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:01.720 with it. But at least you have an administration that's 253 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:05.120 probably going to grant you the waiver that we're looking for, Jennifer, 254 00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:07.279 is that your expectation from the Trump administration. 255 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:12.039 Absolutely, And in my third term in a term limited 256 00:14:12.320 --> 00:14:16.360 Ohio Legislature, let me tell you something, having lived under 257 00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:19.399 the Biden administration, I'm still getting used to this. 258 00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:19.879 Winning. 259 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:23.480 They're like, what like, they're probably not. I mean Biden 260 00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:26.440 rejected it this time. We expect they'll accept it. So 261 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:29.559 our job is to make it strong as strong as possible. 262 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:31.360 We can always amend it if we go, oh, we 263 00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:33.840 should have done that, or we see Florida did this 264 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:35.919 and we need to do that. But Brian, do you 265 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:38.120 mind if I talk to you. I want the people 266 00:14:38.159 --> 00:14:42.039 to understand that are listening the cost of this program 267 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:43.919 to them, the taxpayer. 268 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:45.919 It's one thing to have people come to me. You 269 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:48.600 can't take these people and let's talk. 270 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:51.600 About how much of our budget goes to this program. 271 00:14:51.759 --> 00:14:52.279 Do you mind? 272 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:57.120 No? Yeah, so in state spending alone, when we don't 273 00:14:57.159 --> 00:15:01.840 add the thirty percent hear me, Well, approximately thirty percent 274 00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:06.159 of the Ohio budget comes from the federal government. So 275 00:15:06.200 --> 00:15:09.360 when people tell me our whole entire budget, okay, When 276 00:15:09.399 --> 00:15:11.879 people tell me, oh, well, you know we need to 277 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:14.639 go to the federal government, I'm like, okay, you in 278 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:18.159 order for Ohio to be sovereign, your legislature needs to 279 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:22.200 stop having our handout saying we'll take the money from 280 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:25.120 the federal government. Well, Jen, you know California, I'll get 281 00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:27.879 it if we I don't care. I think we're Ohio 282 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:32.799 and we should extract ourselves from dependence on the federal government. 283 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:38.120 Having said that, when without our federal government spend, meaning 284 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:41.320 without the part that the federal government puts into our budget, 285 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:45.120 medicaid is twenty approximately don't quote me on all this, 286 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:49.320 twenty about twenty seven percent of our entire budget when 287 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:50.919 it's just our house, when. 288 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:51.960 It's just our state. 289 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:56.600 Education is the number one cost in our state. Our 290 00:15:56.639 --> 00:16:01.840 constitution says we will educate children. State that actually has 291 00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:05.080 that in our constitution, but it is the number one 292 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:09.080 spend in the billions. Okay, So then if you add 293 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:14.080 the federal part into medicaid, the expense of medicaid in 294 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:18.519 our whole entire operating budget is fifty point three percent. 295 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:21.000 I have to ask yes, So I have. 296 00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:23.679 To ask the listener. You know you're paying those taxes too, 297 00:16:23.960 --> 00:16:27.039 They're just coming from the federal government. Remember, the government 298 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:31.159 makes how much nothing? We make nothing. Our job is 299 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:33.960 to spend your money wisely, which is why I don't 300 00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:38.679 mean to sound harsh, but we cannot give Cadillac care 301 00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:41.679 on Medicaid. That is not I and honestly, unless you 302 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.480 have concierge care and all of that. I don't think 303 00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:48.440 anybody in Ohio gets concierge's care unless you're paying up 304 00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:52.159 and above an extra for those things. So I think 305 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:55.000 it's important for the people to understand that the group eight, 306 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:59.159 the healthy body people. When we extended, they're twenty five 307 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:05.240 percent of our spend and this is forty seven billion 308 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:10.279 dollars a year. So yeah, so I mean, let's talk 309 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:12.839 about the money. It's easy to say, well, Jen, you 310 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:14.319 can't make these people go back to work. 311 00:17:14.359 --> 00:17:15.480 Well, the business. 312 00:17:15.079 --> 00:17:19.480 Owners are crying for people. I have factories that will 313 00:17:19.480 --> 00:17:22.920 pay processing lines people. They'll start at twenty two to 314 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:25.839 twenty three dollars an hour. If you earn that kind 315 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:28.640 of money. Twenty two dollars an hour, twenty dollars an hour, 316 00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:30.839 and you work forty hours a week, Brian, and you're 317 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:33.519 married to someone who makes twenty twenty five, you don't 318 00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:35.960 qualify for Medicaid, but you can. 319 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:38.480 Get an Obamacare. You can get an Obamacare policy and 320 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:41.119 get a tax deduction for it too, if you're in 321 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:44.839 lower income levels. For that, well, real quick here, I 322 00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:48.039 know it's thinking. I got to ask you about fraud, waste, 323 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:50.200 and abuse. My understanding is we're one of the worst 324 00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:53.559 states when it comes to spending and a misspending, I'll 325 00:17:53.599 --> 00:17:55.759 call it that generally in the program. Are you doing 326 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:58.240 anything with your committee to get to the bottom of 327 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:00.599 that and drill down maybe we can find some savings 328 00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:01.799 on the money going out the door. 329 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:07.480 We absolutely are. Our auditor Auditor Favor did an audit 330 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:10.400 on Medicaid last year and he found when he pulled 331 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:14.160 a sample of people on Medicaid that twenty six percent 332 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:17.119 of the sample that we were paying Medicaid costs for 333 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.319 don't live in Ohio. 334 00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:19.200 Oh my god. 335 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:24.119 So when you find that kind of stuff, because we're 336 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:27.960 a state that has something called self addest station. So 337 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:30.680 I know you're an attorney, but what this means is 338 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:33.480 that that if you if I go in and you 339 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:35.480 say are you on Medicaid? I can say, yep, Brian, 340 00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:37.519 I am. And yet I live in Westchester, and you 341 00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:39.039 know I won't say where I live, and I live 342 00:18:39.039 --> 00:18:41.119 in a middle class home. And but if I say 343 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:44.039 I have Medicaid, they have to accept that. They don't 344 00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:46.359 confirm it. They don't confirm my address, they don't come 345 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:49.200 firm my income level, none of it. So now we 346 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:52.000 are what we have to ask for waivers. 347 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:52.440 In some of these things. 348 00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:55.519 But we're going to do regular cross checks because and 349 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:59.720 that's an answer to the auditor's audit. I mean, what 350 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:02.400 more do I need to say to you that our 351 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:05.680 auditor found this and what I've found, and it's taken me. 352 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:08.160 And this is why, you know, term limits are not 353 00:19:08.359 --> 00:19:11.480 what everybody thinks they are. It takes us a while 354 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:13.519 to figure all of this out, and then in eight 355 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:17.079 years we're gone, but the bureaucrats stay, and so we 356 00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:20.880 get into this huge spend because the bureaucrats keep spending 357 00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:24.599 and I'm not there to be the doge over you know, 358 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:27.839 this system. But what we found is that we found 359 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:31.319 self attestation. We have self attestation in many areas of 360 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:32.039 the hospitals. 361 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:33.079 If someone walks. 362 00:19:32.839 --> 00:19:35.279 In and they're you know, they have a big gash 363 00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:38.079 on their arm and they say they're medicaid and they 364 00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:40.920 bill it to medicaid, we have to pay simply because 365 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:42.920 the person said they had medicaid. 366 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:47.839 That self attestation. We have no cross check. I don't check. 367 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:51.039 Lottery winnings, we don't check income, we don't check birthday, 368 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:52.319 we don't you know, that's. 369 00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:56.000 Insane, that's absolutely insane, and that welcomes all kinds of 370 00:19:56.079 --> 00:20:02.279 fraud and that figure is mind boggling, mind boggling. All right, well, 371 00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:05.000 we have your commitment to get to the bottom of 372 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:07.240 that and hopefully get some I can't believe you got 373 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:09.119 to apply for a waiver to get rid of fraud, 374 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:12.400 waste and abuse in a program. I mean, that's that's 375 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:17.240 crazy right there, Jennifer Gross. Please keep us informed. You're 376 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:19.720 always welcome here. You got updates. You need pressure to 377 00:20:19.720 --> 00:20:21.680 be brought to bear. I have my listeners get in 378 00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:24.440 touch with their elected officials and screaming, yell about it. Whatever, 379 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:26.799 there's something we can do, love to help you out 380 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:27.440 with that one? 381 00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:30.039 Can I say, can I ask for help? 382 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:31.519 So as doje. 383 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:34.599 It takes people from our community and says, hey, let's help. 384 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:36.200 Right they went to the federal government. 385 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:40.519 I would encourage the listeners to go to www. Dot LSC, 386 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:45.720 dot Ohio dot gov and look for HB ninety six. 387 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:49.000 That's the number of the budget, and look up what 388 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:52.039 we call the red books in whatever area they're interested in. 389 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:54.640 It doesn't always have to be medicaid though, because it's 390 00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:57.039 so expensive. I would encourage them to go to education 391 00:20:57.480 --> 00:21:00.799 and medicate. Our biggest spends. But look in there, look 392 00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:04.319 at the details, try to figure it out. Send your recommendations, 393 00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:07.680 say we don't need that in our budget. Tell your representative, 394 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:11.319 not always me unless I'm your representative. Tell your representative, 395 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:12.960 I saw this, I want this removed. 396 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:15.359 I saw this. I want this removed. A lot of 397 00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:17.200 people want more and more and more. 398 00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:20.200 But you're paying. So if you think that's valuable, then 399 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:23.359 say so. But if you think it's waste, you need 400 00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:25.920 to go in and if you want more information, right, 401 00:21:26.039 --> 00:21:28.440