Officials in Cuyahoga County are bracing for big changes to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Elected officials, hospital leaders and nonprofit directors gathered with Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne September 8 to discuss the changes — the first step toward creating a strategy they hope will help maintain access to the programs.

One big upcoming change is how long people are covered by Medicaid, said Cuyahoga County Job and Family Services Director Kevin Gowan.

"Right now, individuals who sign up for Medicaid are good for a year," Gowan said. "After a year they need to renew. Under the new law, this expansion population has to renew every six months."

The new federal regulations were signed into law in July, and will take effect sometime befo

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