An Ohio service is closing and laying off most of its 54 area employees amid federal funding cuts to organizations called "navigators" that help people enroll in Medicaid and insurance coverage on the ACA marketplace, reports The Plain Dealer.
The Ohio Association of Foodbanks is among the groups nationwide affected by the cuts. The group, which oversees a consortium of navigators in Ohio, was recently notified of a 71 percent cut in its grant funding, according to the report. With the cuts, the group would be forced to operate at less than one-third of its previous budget, so it ultimately decided to close.
The news comes weeks after President Donald Trump's administration revealed cuts to navigators nationwide could be as high as 92 percent. Federal officials have cited inefficiency in terms of money spent compared to the number of people signed up as reasoning behind the decision. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks enrolled nearly 10,000 state residents in Medicaid and ACA marketplace plans last year, the report states.
Read the full report here.