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Taylor Hosts Medicaid Reform Discussions

$13 Billion State Program Assessed for Efficiency and Effectiveness

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Canton -

State Auditor Mary Taylor is holding a roundtable discussion for Medicaid stakeholders to discuss the recommendations made by the performance audit today.  More than $13 billion is spent each year on Ohio’s Medicaid program, making it the largest single taxpayer funded program in state government.  The Medicaid Performance Audit, released in December 2006, made more than 100 recommendations that if implemented could save taxpayers more than $400 million annually. 

“The Medicaid Performance Audit revealed a cumbersome taxpayer funded program fraught with inefficiencies,” Taylor said. “These discussions will help prioritize the performance audit recommendations in an on-going effort to improve efficiency and accountability in the Medicaid program.”

In 2005, as a legislator, Taylor introduced a bill in the Ohio House of Representatives granting the State Auditor the authority to conduct a one-time performance audit of Ohio’s Medicaid program.  Taylor says the Medicaid Performance Audit is a thorough analysis of the operations of the system.

Today’s event is the second of three Medicaid roundtable discussions being held around the state. The final discussion will take place in Cincinnati on September 25.Taylor kicked off the series in Columbus on August 22.

The Ohio Auditor of State’s Office is one of the largest accounting offices in the nation.  The office strives to ensure that all public funds are spent legally and appropriately and works aggressively to root out fraud, waste and abuse in public spending. Taylor encourages anyone suspecting fraud or misspending of public dollars to contact her office toll free at 1-866-FRAUD-OH (1-866-372-8364).

For more information about the State Auditor’s Office, please visit: www.auditor.state.oh.us.