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Health chief warns Medicaid changes, details HUD lead grant and infant‑mortality concerns
Summary
Dr. Grant Musman told councilors the health department faces a high uninsured rate (31%) and uncertainty from federal Medicaid changes scheduled for Jan. 1, 2027; he also reported $4.4 million in HUD lead‑remediation funding and said that sum could remediate roughly 140 homes (estimate).
Dr. Grant Musman told the council committee that the city epartment of Health is monitoring federal Medicaid changes and that the department's uninsured patient load (about 31%) makes fiscal planning uncertain.
Musman reviewed FY26 performance measures across environmental health, maternal and child health, communicable disease surveillance and clinical care at the city's federally qualified health center. He said the department—ell short of its goal for the cribs‑for‑kids program in one quarter because the grant funding was spent down, then returned to 100% service in the next quarter. He also said lead‑risk assessment contacts were below target in part because referral addresses from county sources were often incorrect; the department worked with county agencies to improve referrals.
Musman highlighted a $4.4 million HUD award to remediate lead hazards in housing and said staff estimate that amount could remediate roughly 140 homes depending on per‑home costs. "We're estimating about 140," said Dr. Amin, who spoke during Q&A, noting costs vary by home.
Councilors pressed Musman on an increase in the city's infant‑mortality rate and on how Medicaid changes effective Jan. 1, 2027, could affect clinical services. Musman said the department is still unpacking causes for a year‑to‑year rise and is close to engaging a consultant to model fiscal scenarios for different policy outcomes. He said some community programs (for example, Cincy Freeze and Feed) would be at risk under a 5% reduction scenario.
Musman's presentation also referenced several accomplishments: nearly 50,000 meals delivered through a food‑rescue partnership, national clinical quality recognitions and progress in reducing the share of patients with uncontrolled diabetes from more than 30% to 17%.
Ending: The presentation was filed; councilors asked for more analysis on Medicaid impacts and infant‑mortality drivers ahead of budget votes.
