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Yost joins effort seeking more transparency in Rx transactions

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has joined an important effort by 45 state attorneys general to push the federal government to seek more transparency in prescription-drug transactions through pharmacy benefit managers, and to ensure federal efforts do not pre-empt state transparency laws. It’s a significant effort because PBMs — the companies that are supposed to represent insurers in drug transactions — have always favored the federal rules and regulations over state laws. According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, the three largest PBMs control approximately 80% of ...

Ohio’s economy needs to be diversified and expanded

February job loss numbers tell a complex tale in Ohio, as despite the loss of 5,400 jobs, the unemployment rate actually went down. According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, that is because 2,000 Buckeye State residents simply left the workforce. On top of that, Molly Bryden, a Policy Matters Ohio researcher, said the state’s economy is also more vulnerable to economic turbulence because of federal policy decisions; and is STILL dealing with the changes in the employment landscape wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cuts to federal and state government services (and, ...

Nursing home residents at homeless shelters shows housing shortage

Public officials well aware of Ohio’s problems with a shortage of accessible, affordable housing might not be aware of a growing problem related to that challenge. Nursing homes are sending patients to homeless shelters at a growing rate. A Signal Ohio report earlier this month looked at nursing homes transferring “older, poorer and medically fragile” patients to homeless shelters. In fact, seven nursing home facilities in Ohio have been faulted in the past few years for efforts to dump patients into homeless shelters. Eastland Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Columbus ...

Students need to know the damage of chronic absenteeism

It’s just common sense that students who are able to attend school regularly are more likely to perform at grade level in reading and math, and eventually graduate on time. But during the 2024-26 school year, approximately one-fourth of Ohio students were considered chronically absent (missing two or three days per month). Addressing such a challenge will require having the information to get a handle on each students’ situations. To that end, the state has unveiled an attendance dashboard that should give schools another tool in the effort. “The goal is to spot trouble early ...

Officials show commitment to keep drinking water safe

Eight years ago, then-Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine filed a lawsuit against DuPont, which accused the company of knowingly releasing “forever chemicals” into the Ohio River. Though a settlement was reached back in 2023, DeWine was not able to announce distribution of the $65 million settlement until this week. This time as governor, he stood with state Environmental Protection Agency Director John Logue to talk about how the money would be distributed in Belmont, Gallia, Larence, Meigs, Morgan and Washington counties. The improvements that will be funded have been a long time ...

Finding the right employee is going to take creativity

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows Ohio has approximately 278,000 job openings. Among the fields with greatest need for workers is manufacturing. But finding the right employees isn’t easy. The Ohio Manufacturing Workforce Blueprint reports there could be 35,000 manufacturing job openings per year in the state, through 2037. Employers are going to have to get more creative and open-minded — and be willing to take a chance. That’s where programs such as the Training Assessment Placement Project come in. According to a report by WBNS, the program helps justice-involved ...