The bill amends several sections of the Revised Code concerning the Program for Medically Handicapped Children, specifically targeting sections 3701.021, 3701.023, 3701.025, 3701.027, and 3701.029, while repealing section 3701.024. A key change is the elimination of county contributions to the program, which provides services to children and youth with special health care needs. The bill also empowers the director of health to set eligibility requirements for participants and providers, establish disqualification procedures for rule violations, and develop operational guidelines. Importantly, it ensures that individuals under twenty-six years of age face no age restrictions for eligibility.

Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions for collaboration between the department of health and local health districts for service coordination and allows for a manufacturer discount program for drugs and nutritional formulas. It emphasizes that payments under this program should not duplicate Medicaid payments. The legislation also establishes new eligibility criteria for individuals with hemophilia or related disorders, requiring them to be at least twenty-one years old and meet specific requirements. Furthermore, it mandates the transfer of funds from the Medically Handicapped Children County Assessment Fund to the General Revenue Fund, leading to the fund's abolition, and tasks the Director of Budget and Management with reallocating existing appropriations for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3701.021, 3701.023, 3701.025, 3701.027, 3701.029, 3701.024