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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Ohio lawmakers seek to address medical debt
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Medical debt is the number one reason that people in the United States file for bankruptcy, and for many, like cancer survivor Olivia Hiltbrand, medical bills hit at the most unexpected times. 'I was unprepared for anything like that to happen,' she said. 'I went through chemotherapy, brain radiation, all kinds of medications, pills, just anything you can think of for those three years.' Hiltbrand said she got diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma in 2020, when she was 31 years old. She said she was otherwise healthy, so this came as a shock. Still, she and her husband had insurance, full-time jobs and health savings accounts. Suspect before deputy fatally shot: 'You better … go if you want your family to see you' 'Essentially, we were doing what we thought responsible adults who had income could do,' Hiltbrand said. At the start of her treatment, Hiltbrand said she had a three-week hospital stay. After that, she got a bill for her insurance for $200,000. 'Sticker shock would be a good way to put it,' she said. 'The cost of the treatment was incomprehensible. I didn't understand how it could cost that much just to keep me alive.' Hiltbrand said that when she was not going through chemotherapy, she was on the phone, making sure she had proper payment plans lined up. She said she still owes about $7,000, two years after being cancer-free. Even through that, Hiltbrand said she considers herself one of the lucky ones because her hospitals do not charge interest on her bills. Ohio lawmakers introduce bill that would allow counties to test gas station fuel quality 'It would've been incredibly stressful to me, even more than it already was, to have interest piling up on these bills that I already couldn't pay,' she said. Now, a new bill, known as the Medical Debt Fairness Act, could help alleviate some of that burden. If passed, the bill would do three things: Cap interest rates on medical debt at 3%, Prohibit reporting medical debt to credit agencies, And ban wage garnishment for medical debt. 'This policy overreaches and so the consequence, it could harm some of the very people it's trying to help,' Vice President of Policy at the Buckeye Institute, a conservative-leaning think-tank, Rea Hederman said. Hederman said the bill could result in higher prices for everyone else if interest rates on medical bills are so low that Ohioans feel they can move those payments to the back of the line. City of Columbus asks court to dismiss cyber lawsuits 'You could see co-payments going up, your deductibles going up as companies and healthcare providers don't want to put themselves at financial risk for providing bad debt,' Hederman said. He said this will also open the door for people who can't afford it to get new loans. 'If you don't know if somebody has a large package of debt on their bills, then other areas of financing, from houses to car loans, may become less transparent, so people could be at greater risk of bankruptcy or default,' Hederman said. Hederman added that if providers cannot go after someone's income in order to recuperate costs, then it may have to become more extreme. 'A lot of times, where are you going to be looking? To repossess a car, trying to go to a court case to find out other assets they may have,' Hederman said. 'That's going to make it a lot more expensive to make these loans.' Arrested escapee from Columbus security facility issued bond in court Overall, Hederman agreed that something needs to be done, but said this is bad policy for the state. 'At the end of the day, the question can be, 'How can we make healthcare more affordable for a lot of these people?'' he said. 'You shouldn't have to be fighting for your life and also dealing with the effects of this debt,' Hiltbrand said. As far as hospitals go, two answered a request for their stance on it. The Cleveland Clinic said it has not taken a position 'since it doesn't impact our operations.' Ohio bill would make Superman the state's official superhero, but not until 2033 'Cleveland Clinic offers financial assistance to patients who qualify,' a spokesperson wrote. 'If a patient does not qualify, we offer no-cost payment plans for up to four years. We do not garnish patients' wages, place liens on patients' homes, or report debt to credit agencies.' The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center said it is reviewing the bill and directed comments to the Central Ohio Hospital Association and the Ohio Hospital Association. The bill did just have its first hearing, but sponsors said they have talked with leadership and are confident the bill will gain traction. Nearly one-third of Ohio House members, both Republicans and Democrats, are signed on in support. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
18-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Major Income Tax Cuts Enacted And Advanced In Slew Of GOP-Run States
Kansas state capitol in Topeka Lawmakers in multiple states have passed significant income tax rate cuts in recent weeks. Mississippi lawmakers and Governor Tate Reeves (R) enacted legislation in March that will phase out the Magnolia State's 4% income tax over time based on revenue triggers. Shortly thereafter, Kansas lawmakers followed suit by overriding a gubernatorial veto to enact income tax relief that moves the state tax code to a lower, flat rate. Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson (R) and Speaker Dan Hawkins (R) led the charge for Senate Bill 269, legislation enacted this week that will move Kansas from a progressive income tax code with a top rate of 5.58% to a 4% single rate income tax. Kansas lawmakers passed this income tax cut at the end of March and Governor Laura Kelly (D) vetoed it on April 10. On April 15, Kansas lawmakers enacted SB 269 by voting to override Governor Kelly's veto. SB 269 includes a revenue trigger resulting permanent rate cuts whenever a stipulated level of revenue collection is exceeded. Under 269, all surplus revenue collections exceeding growth in regional CPI inflation will be returned to taxpayers in the form of permanent income tax cuts until the rate falls to 4%. The tax reform package championed by Masterson and Hawkins also cuts the state corporate tax rate to 4% based on revenue triggers. Many in South Carolina hope their state is the next to enact rate-reducing income tax reform. Speaker Murrell Smith (R) and his colleagues introduced legislation in March to move the state from a progressive income tax with a top rate of 6.2%, to a flat 3.99% income tax. An economic impact study recently released by the Palmetto Promise Institute and the Buckeye Institute concluded that moving to a lower, flatter rate would come with many benefits for South Carolina residents and the state's economy. 'Broadening the base and moving to a flat rate of 3.99% will result in South Carolina's economy adding 1,000 jobs in 2026 and an average of 1,000 additional jobs each year between 2027 and 2030,' noted Oran Smith, senior fellow at the Palmetto Promise Institute. 'South Carolina's GDP will grow by $240 million in 2026 and average $250 million over the next 5 years, if the tax rate stays at 3.99%. Families will buy more because, they will have more money to purchase goods, and save and invest over $100 million annually each year over the next five years. 'Dynamic economic modeling, which considers how people and businesses respond to policy changes, shows that this tax plan will make South Carolina a more prosperous state and poised to compete with neighboring states that have already enacted tax policy reform over the past few years,' Smith added. 'The scenario below models collapsing all current personal income tax brackets in South Carolina into a single bracket with a flat rate of 3.99%. Table I below presents the dynamic effects of this scenario. Under this scenario, South Carolina's economic output (GDP) would increase by $240 million (2024 dollars) in 2026, with investment increasing by $110 million and consumer spending increasing by $70 million in the same year. Ultimately, the number of jobs for 2026 would be expected to increase by 1,000.' At the March 18 press conference announcing the Speaker's tax reform proposal, Governor Henry McMaster (R) and South Carolina Senate leaders announced that they, like Speaker Smith and his colleagues, see income tax rate reduction as a top priority to pass before adjourning session in May. The South Carolina House Ways & Means Committee will hold a hearing next week to take up the Speaker's tax reform bill and consider amendments. If they're successful, South Carolina will soon have a lower rate than neighboring Georgia and will be on more competitive footing relative to North Carolina. Underscoring the heightened level of state tax competition, North Carolina lawmakers took action this week to increase their fiscal policy advantage over South Carolina, Georgia, and other states. The North Carolina Senate passed a new budget on April 17 that would take the state's 4.25% flat income tax down to 1.99%, provided certain revenue triggers are met. Under current law, North Carolina's income tax rate will fall to 3.99% and possibly as low as 2.49% so long as revenue triggers are met. Like their counterparts in North Carolina, the Oklahoma Senate approved income tax relief this week. On April 14, the Oklahoma Senate passed House Bill 1539, legislation that phases out the state income tax entirely over time based on revenue triggers being met. Oklahoma currently has a progressive income tax with a top rate of 4.5%. If the Oklahoma House votes to concur with the changes made by the state senate, the bill will go to Governor Kevin Stitt (R) for his signature. Governor Stitt has long been a champion of phasing out Oklahoma's income tax. 'There are nine states with no state penalty on work,' said Oklahoma Sen. Micheal Bergstrom (R-Adair). 'Consistently, they're experiencing better growth and opportunity, and this is not a surprise. When you don't penalize work and job creation in the form of state income taxes, your citizens are better positioned to pursue opportunity for themselves and to expand opportunity for others.' National media outlets have published multiple articles in recent days and weeks alleging that Republican members of Congress are warming up to the prospect of allowing the top marginal federal income tax rate to go up for filers whose income exceeds some amount. On April 17, however, Kimberley Strassel reported in the Wall Street Journal that the push to raise the top marginal income tax rate is being led by certain White House staffers, which Larry Kudlow has also reported. While some advisers may be trying to convince the President to break a well documented campaign promise by raising the top federal income tax rate, Republican state lawmakers across the country are going in the other direction, taking action to reduce top rates, move to flatter income tax codes, and ultimately end state taxation of household earnings.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Education Association president speaks out against bill that could close low-performing schools
(Stock photo from Getty Images) The head of a statewide Ohio teachers union on Tuesday slammed a proposed bill that would automatically close low-performing Ohio public schools, saying it would harm students and communities, and force districts into counterproductive situations and decisions. Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro testified against Ohio Senate Bill 127 Tuesday morning during the Ohio Senate Education Committee meeting. The bill would revise Ohio's public school closure law and require a poor performing school to either close or take remedial action. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'S.B. 127 proposes a heavy handed and overreaching state approach to local schools that receive low ratings on state report cards,' DiMauro said. 'The impact of the actions compelled by S.B. 127 would harm students and communities. The harsh measures required by the bill ignore mitigating factors, forcing districts to make counterproductive decisions that could harm well-functioning schools.' Senate Education Committee Chair Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, introduced the bill last month and no one has submitted supporter testimony for the bill yet. Five people submitted opponent testimony while the Buckeye Institute and the pro-charter-school Thomas B. Fordham Institute submitted interested party testimony. S.B. 127 defines a poor performing school as a school (district-operated, community or STEM), serving grades four and older, that has performed in the bottom 5% among public schools based on its Performance Index Score for three consecutive years, and is in the bottom 10% based on its Value-Added Progress for three consecutive years. A poor-performing school would have the option to close at the end of the school year or replace its principal and a majority of licensed staff. Another option is the school could get the help of an Ohio Department of Education and Workforce management organization, charter management organization, education service center, or an Ohio public or private university with experience in school improvement. Ohio charter schools are automatically closed if they have three straight years of poor performance. 'Instead of offering significant support, S.B. 127 proposes significant punishments that will most likely destabilize schools where many great things are happening, even if those successes are not revealed on data printouts of standardized test scores,' DiMauro said. 'The barriers to learning caused by under-resourced schools and communities do not disappear when a state punishes a school district. Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at the Buckeye Institute, said the bill addresses chronic underperformance in public schools. 'Critics worry that closures may disrupt communities, but trapping students in the status quo cycle of underachieving schools is far more disruptive to students and their futures,' he said. Thomas B. Fordham Institute's Vice President for Ohio Policy Chad Aldis said he would support the bill if a few tweaks were made including revising the growth measure to the Ohio report card one-star rating on Value Added Progress. 'This is a clearer and more stable indicator of inadequate growth, and it better reflects the state's own definition of 'low performance,' Aldis said. 'Combining this with a bottom 5% Performance Index score would ensure that only schools with sustained low achievement and weak student progress are flagged— exactly as intended.' Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio added 61,000 jobs last year. Employment at record highs in the Buckeye State
Jan. 26—Ohio ended 2024 on a four-month streak of job growth, capping off a strong year for payroll gains where employment levels climbed to new heights, according to new labor survey data. The state's employment growth accelerated slightly in December, with employers creating 6,800 new jobs (0.1%), says seasonally adjusted data from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Ohio's nonfarm payrolls increased by 5,200 workers in November (0.1%); 3,900 in October (0.1%); and 13,500 in September (0.2%). The Buckeye State netted 61,400 new jobs in 2024, up from 58,800 in 2023. Last year, the state only saw job declines twice, in August (-6,300 jobs) and January (-300). Ohio saw job reductions four times in 2023. Rea Hederman Jr., vice president of policy at the conservative leaning Buckeye Institute, said the state saw steady job growth last year, notably in the private sector. "Although not a strong ending to the year, Ohio's job market is in fine shape as we start the New Year," he said. "Compared to the national job market, which strengthened slightly in December, the Ohio market ended weaker than the national average after showing signs of improvement in the fall." Ohio continues to set new records for total employment. Nonfarm employment, pre-pandemic, peaked at 5.610 million workers in January 2020, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data that goes back to 1990. After massive job losses early in the COVID crisis, the state's labor market rebounded. Ohio hit a new record high of 5.613 million jobs in May 2023. The state consistently has set new records. About 5.691 million people in Ohio had a job last month. Policy Matters Ohio says while the state's job gains signal a robust economy, the unemployment rate continues to rise. The liberal leaning policy research group says Ohio employers have struggled to keep up with the number of job-seekers entering the labor force. Ohio's unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage point in December to 4.4%. The national unemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage point last month. Molly Bryden, a researcher with Policy Matters Ohio, said she's worried about rising inflation and potential price increases due to tariffs proposed by the Trump administration. "Ohioans will have to navigate an uncertain economy in the coming months (or years)," Bryden said in a statement.
