Medina County Job & Family Services outlines Medicaid work‑requirement changes; estimates 5,000 residents may be affected

Job & Family Services Director Katie Masternick briefed the Board on program and administrative changes expected to affect county Medicaid recipients.

Ms. Masternick said Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun sending informal electronic notices and that an official notice is expected by the end of August, with county-level training scheduled for December. Of approximately 20,000 Medina County residents on Medicaid, she projected the MCEA could affect roughly 5,000 people; the state has advised counties to process renewals through normal cycles, so the full impact may not be known until late 2027. Masternick framed the department initiatives "as efforts to remove barriers and set individuals on a more stable path toward compliance." She also described an upcoming settlement week and warrant-withdrawal program in collaboration with Medina County Domestic Relations Court and a driver's-license reinstatement option requiring payment of one month's support plus one dollar.

Ms. Masternick reported the division's Medicaid error rate remained well below the state rate of 6.76%, citing an unofficial March figure of about 1.3%. On child protection, she said children in custody decreased from 133 in July 2025 to 93 currently, attributing the reduction to adoptions and emancipations. Commissioner Hambley raised the possibility of reviving a volunteer coordination center to help place residents in volunteer roles tied to MCEA outcomes; Masternick said she will meet Catholic Charities and include commissioners in follow-up conversations.