Will the Federal Government Support OPS in Other States?

If OPS succeeds in Ohio, the federal government will have strong economic reasons to help other states adopt it. OPS lowers healthcare prices, stabilizes providers, and improves access — all without raising taxes or increasing Medicaid spending.

A successful OPS pilot in Ohio would show the federal government that:

• Medicaid can become cheaper without cutting care

• rural hospitals can be stabilized without bailouts

• families and employers can see lower medical bills

• the national economy benefits when healthcare becomes affordable

• healthier people participate more in the workforce

• uncompensated care costs fall dramatically

OPS is a simple, scalable, budget neutral model. If Ohio proves it works, the federal government would naturally want to support expansion to other states to strengthen the overall economy and improve national health outcomes.

OPS is not political — it is practical. A healthier America, at a lower cost, is a benefit to everyone.

 

How a successful Ohio pilot becomes a nationwide healthcare improvement model

 

Phase 1 — Prove the Model in Ohio

OPS begins in Ohio, where the imbalance between Medicaid patients and Medicaid‑active providers is clearest:

• 3 million Medicaid patients 

• ≈21,000 Medicaid‑active providers

• ≈140 patients per provider

OPS stabilizes providers using existing Medicaid dollars, allowing them to lower base prices while maintaining financial stability.

Goal: Demonstrate that OPS lowers costs, strengthens providers, and improves access — all without raising taxes.

 

Phase 2 — Publish the Ohio Results

Once OPS is functioning statewide, Ohio releases:

• Annual OPS Impact Reports

• Provider stability metrics

• Rural hospital outcomes

• Medicaid cost‑neutrality verification

• Patient access improvements

• Insurance premium stabilization data

These reports become the evidence base for national expansion.

 

Phase 3 — Regional Expansion

Neighboring states adopt OPS using Ohio’s blueprint:

• Indiana

• Kentucky

• West Virginia

• Pennsylvania

• Michigan

Ohio provides:

• Technical assistance

• Payment‑formula templates

• IT architecture guidance

• Provider‑onboarding materials

• Legislative language samples

Goal: Build a multi‑state OPS corridor.

 

Phase 4 — National Model Development

With multiple states running OPS, the model becomes a national template:

• Standardized OPS payment formulas

• Federal‑compatible reporting structure

• Rural stabilization framework

• Provider‑pricing guidelines

• Medicaid neutrality verification tools

This creates a plug‑and‑play OPS system for any state.

 

Phase 5 — Federal Partnership

Once OPS proves it lowers costs and improves access, the federal government has strong reasons to support expansion:

• Lower national Medicaid spending

• Stabilized rural hospitals

• Reduced uncompensated care

• Lower insurance premiums

• Higher workforce participation

• Stronger national economy

Federal support may include:

• Matching incentives

• Technical assistance

• National OPS guidance

• Grants for IT modernization

• Rural stabilization funding

OPS becomes a federally supported, state‑driven model.

 

Phase 6 — Nationwide Adoption

States adopt OPS in waves, using Ohio’s proven structure:

• Medicaid stays the same

• OPS adds a supplemental payment

• Providers lower base prices

• Families pay less

• Rural hospitals stabilize

• The system becomes healthier and cheaper

OPS becomes a 50‑state structural fix for affordability and access.

 

Phase 7 — A Healthier, More Affordable America

With OPS nationwide:

• Healthcare prices fall

• Providers stabilize

• Rural hospitals stop closing

• Insurance premiums drop

• Families save money

• Employers save money

• Medicaid becomes more efficient

• The national economy strengthens

OPS is a simple idea with massive impact: More patients than providers means supplemental payments can stabilize the entire system — without raising taxes.