Ohio bucks trend, shifts funds to home-based care

July 16, 2011, Port Clinton News Herald

By Jessica Alaimo

CentralOhio.com

While budget shortfalls have forced many states to move away from home-based care, Ohio is shifting toward it.

However, all providers, regardless of their setting, saw a decrease in Medicaid reimbursement rates this month.

Gov. John Kasich’s first two-year budget, which began July 1, decreases Medicaid reimbursements for nursing homes and increases funding for home-based care.

Child obesity rates stay steady

Mar. 3, 2011, Fremont News-Messenger

By JESSICA ALAIMO

Special to the News-Messenger

Obesity rates among children statewide have stayed relatively steady, a new study from the Ohio Department of Health shows.

About 30 percent of Ohio's third-graders are either overweight or obese, according to the study, conducted during the current school year. This is the same rate found in a 2004 study.

However, some counties have seen great fluctuations. Sandusky and Coshocton counties, for example, had decreases of about 10 percent in overweight and obese children. Butler and Champaign counties had increases of about 15 percent.

Risks, rewards of having a C-section

Jan. 11, 2010, Fremont News-Messenger

BY JESSICA ALAIMO

Special to the News-Messenger

More than a quarter of the low-risk babies born in Ohio to first-time mothers are born by a Caesarian section.

There is a wide disparity in these numbers within state hospitals, according to 2008 data just released by the Ohio Department of Health. The rates range from 6.6 percent to 60 percent.

Women who undergo C-sections face the normal risks of surgery — infection, blood loss and an extended recovery time. Babies have a greater chance of respiratory problems or injury from the incision, medical professionals say.

Janet Runner, vice president of patient care services at Bellevue Hospital in Sandusky County, said even though the hospital’s C-section rate is higher than the state average, the mothers and babies have good outcomes.

“We have a system in place where we check all C-sections for appropriateness,” she said.