Ohio Medicaid Benefits

Medicaid is medical insurance provided by each state to its citizens who are below a certain level of income. This income level is determined by each state, as are the services to be offered. Age is a factor, and more services are available to children than to adults. Some types of services are mandated by the federal government and are provided in every state, while the individual states determine which other services they will provide.

Patient Services

• Defined as services obtained at your practitioner's office, many patient services are covered by Ohio Medicaid. Benefits cover doctor visits, lab work, X-rays, well-child checkups, family planning, hearing tests and occupational, speech, and physical therapy. There are limits in some cases. Doctor visits are limited to 24 per year, well-child checks are limited to eight visits by the age of 2, then once per year, and the maximum number of visits allowed for physical therapy is 30 visits per year.

Mental Health Services

• Ohio Medicaid provides mental health services for children and adults. Counseling is provided to anyone who has a need. Psychological services may be provided to children and adults who have been determined to need this level of service. The patient must be enrolled in a managed care plan that offers psychological services in order to be covered, and if he is over 21, his case must be reviewed individually to determine if he qualifies.

Preventive Services

• Preventive services include screenings and vaccinations. Ohio Medicaid benefits will cover annual flu and pneumonia shots, prostate exams for men over 50, Pap smears once a year for adult women or younger women who are sexually active, periodic mammograms for women who are at least 35 years old, and work physicals if required for a job and the employer will not pay the cost. Additional services, such as physicals and chest X-rays, are provided for residents of care facilities.

Pregnancy-related Services

• Ohio's Medicaid program covers prenatal exams, medically necessary ultrasound screenings, and childbirth classes for pregnant women. If a woman has full coverage through the Medicaid program, then labor and delivery costs are covered as well, as is the hospital stay for the newborn child. Postpartum visits are included in the Ohio Medicaid benefits.