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Friendship Center says MyCareOhio transition will shift billing for 60 Passport clients and complicate meal program operations
Summary
At the June 18 Carroll County Commissioners meeting, Tanya Myers of the Friendship Center warned that Ohio’s MyCareOhio transition (effective July 1) will require the center to contract with insurers and bill insurance directly for roughly 60 Passport clients, a change she said could increase administrative burdens and financial uncertainty.
Tanya Myers, who represents the Friendship Center, told the Carroll County Commissioners on June 18 that Ohio’s transition into MyCareOhio, effective July 1, will require the center to contract with managed-care plans and bill insurers directly for about 60 Passport clients instead of receiving payments through the Area Agency.
Myers said Anthem, Molina and CareSource are contracting this year and Buckeye may be allowed next year. She warned the change will add administrative work — case management assignments and monthly policy updates — and stressed the center must track each client’s policy month-to-month. "They're allowed to change their policy every 30 days," Myers said, adding that the center will need to check the portal monthly to determine the correct billing rules.
Why it matters: Myers told commissioners the shift could increase staff time spent on billing and could affect the center’s budget for meals and casework. The Friendship Center provides both home-delivered and congregate meals, transportation subsidies and evidence-based exercise programs funded largely through Title III and local grants; Myers said those streams should remain intact but that the Passport population will now be billed differently.
Myers described other operational impacts and supports: the center currently serves roughly 360–400 participants per day across home-delivered and drive-through pickup services and conducts wellness checks when clients do not answer the door. "We are more than a meal," she said, noting staff follow-ups with emergency contacts and, when necessary, request sheriff welfare checks to ensure clients’ safety.
She reported winning a $10,000 Meals on Wheels mini-grant and noted that Meals on Wheels America recently received a $7,000,000 donation; the center also received a grant from the Carroll County Foundation used to replace kitchen equipment. Myers said the Friendship Center’s board approved sending staff to a national conference (Aug. 17–20) and invited volunteers to assist with route delivery and kitchen duties.
Myers asked the board to let her consult with county staff about a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) item and to discuss logistics for service delivery during upcoming closures, including June 19, July 3 and fair week (July 17–20). Commissioners asked for clarification on participant counts and praised the wellness-check practice; no formal action was taken by the board on the funding or contracting items during the meeting.
The Friendship Center said it will continue outreach to volunteers and monitor how the MyCareOhio transition affects billing and service delivery, and Myers indicated she would follow up with county staff about the CDBG item.
