Healthcare in Ohio

By Grace L. Kendrick

Healthcare is out of control in Ohio and across the United States. Grace Kendrick can help with her 17+ years of healthcare administration experience.

Ohioans need access to healthcare insurance. 12% of Ohioans do not have healthcare insurance and there are many more who are concerned that if they lose their jobs - they will lose their healthcare insurance; especially those with pre-existing conditions. What Ohioans may not realize is - those without healthcare insurance still have access to healthcare. Those in need of healthcare go to the hospital emergency rooms and get the tests, scans and care needed at higher prices, but without being held accountable for preventative care. The rest of Ohioans pay for this care through increased taxes and increased healthcare premiums.

Grace Kendrick would like to help with this at the State level and to offer assistance to those working at the federal level. Grace's 17+ years experience in healthcare have been in the acute-care (hospital), not-for-profit sector, the for-profit, big-system home care sector, and the physician group practice sector. Grace has sat on numerous local, state, regional and national committees. Grace wants to use her expertise to help guide and improve healthcare in Ohio.

Medicaid accounts for 3.0% of Ohio's economy and 26.8% of total state government spending. Ohio spends more on Medicaid ($13.3 billion in 2006) than any other program, including primary, secondary and higher education combined ($12.2 billion). What is clear is that Ohio's health care system and economy are bearing a substantial burden as a result of having 12 percent of its population uninsured.

The following are some highlights of a recent Medicaid report:

Ohioans spent a total of $62.2 billion in 2006 on non-institutional healthcare. $3.6 billion is currently spent by and on behalf of the uninsured for healthcare that meets approximately half of their needs. In addition, the indirect cost associated with the lack of insurance imposes a burden of an additional $2.1 to $5.8 billion in lost productivity. Conservative principles have the answers for healthcare in Ohio and in the country. Conservative principles include:

personal responsibility, free market dynamics, and healthcare choice. These kinds of elements would allow us to reform healthcare in such a way that we can solve the problems that America faces in healthcare without having a government takeover and without having socialized medicine with all its drawbacks and all its weaknesses.

Grace's first and foremost goal in running for State Representative is to help healthcare in Ohio. Grace has over 17 years of demonstrated healthcare leadership experience; which has reduced costs and propelled each business forward for which she has worked, regardless of sector. Grace can do this for Ohio as well. Ohio needs someone with healthcare management and turn-around experience to affect change in Ohio. Grace is your Republican candidate that will make that happen.

Paid for by: The Committee to Elect Grace Kendrick for State Representative: 3880 W. Montgomery Rd., Loveland, Ohio 45140 Lisa M. Kessler, Treasurer