Ohio Department of Health
Complex Medical Help (CMH) · About this organization
What you get
Help with approved hospital diagnosis, surgery and stays, X-rays, tests, doctor visits, medicines, public-health nursing, care coordination, therapy evaluations, therapies and medical equipment.
How to start
Your social worker sends the referral. Have proof of income ready.
Good to know
- CMH does not cover every service your child may need.
The details, as published
Ohio Complex Medical Help supports Ohio residents under age 26 who have qualifying special health care needs; current county public-health guidance explicitly lists cancer. Its diagnostic program can pay for evaluation and testing without an income restriction, while the treatment program can cover approved physician visits, prescriptions, therapies, equipment, surgery, and hospitalization subject to medical and financial eligibility. A CMH-approved physician must submit the medical application, which the parent or guardian signs; a local public health nurse can help start the referral and may request a financial application and tax forms.
What help you may get
Household Bills And Cash Assistance
Complex Medical Help (CMH) — household bills and cash assistance
Ohio Complex Medical Help supports Ohio residents under age 26 who have qualifying special health care needs; current county public-health guidance explicitly lists cancer. Its diagnostic program can pay for evaluation and testing without an income restriction, while the treatment program can cover approved physician visits, prescriptions, therapies, equipment, surgery, and hospitalization subject to medical and financial eligibility. A CMH-approved physician must submit the medical application, which the parent or guardian signs; a local public health nurse can help start the referral and may request a financial application and tax forms.
Amount decided by the program · Recurring
Can cover
- Approved hospital diagnostic services
- Approved surgeries and hospitalizations
- Diagnostic X-rays and testing
- Physician visits
- Prescription medications
- Public health nursing and service coordination
- Therapies and medical equipment
- Therapy evaluations
Does not cover
- Every service a child with a qualifying condition may need is not necessarily covered
- Services or goods the program does not authorize
- Services unrelated to the approved CMH diagnosis or plan of treatment
- The program pays approved diagnostic or treatment costs; no universal dollar maximum is published on the reviewed current pages.
- Coverage follows approved diagnostic or treatment services rather than a one-time family grant.
Medical And Insurance Costs
Complex Medical Help (CMH) — medical and insurance costs
Ohio Complex Medical Help supports Ohio residents under age 26 who have qualifying special health care needs; current county public-health guidance explicitly lists cancer. Its diagnostic program can pay for evaluation and testing without an income restriction, while the treatment program can cover approved physician visits, prescriptions, therapies, equipment, surgery, and hospitalization subject to medical and financial eligibility. A CMH-approved physician must submit the medical application, which the parent or guardian signs; a local public health nurse can help start the referral and may request a financial application and tax forms.
Amount decided by the program · Recurring
Can cover
- Approved hospital diagnostic services
- Approved surgeries and hospitalizations
- Diagnostic X-rays and testing
- Physician visits
- Prescription medications
- Public health nursing and service coordination
- Therapies and medical equipment
- Therapy evaluations
Does not cover
- Every service a child with a qualifying condition may need is not necessarily covered
- Services or goods the program does not authorize
- Services unrelated to the approved CMH diagnosis or plan of treatment
- The program pays approved diagnostic or treatment costs; no universal dollar maximum is published on the reviewed current pages.
- Coverage follows approved diagnostic or treatment services rather than a one-time family grant.
Navigation Guides And Advocacy
Complex Medical Help (CMH) — navigation guides and advocacy
Ohio Complex Medical Help supports Ohio residents under age 26 who have qualifying special health care needs; current county public-health guidance explicitly lists cancer. Its diagnostic program can pay for evaluation and testing without an income restriction, while the treatment program can cover approved physician visits, prescriptions, therapies, equipment, surgery, and hospitalization subject to medical and financial eligibility. A CMH-approved physician must submit the medical application, which the parent or guardian signs; a local public health nurse can help start the referral and may request a financial application and tax forms.
Amount decided by the program · Recurring
Can cover
- Approved hospital diagnostic services
- Approved surgeries and hospitalizations
- Diagnostic X-rays and testing
- Physician visits
- Prescription medications
- Public health nursing and service coordination
- Therapies and medical equipment
- Therapy evaluations
Does not cover
- Every service a child with a qualifying condition may need is not necessarily covered
- Services or goods the program does not authorize
- Services unrelated to the approved CMH diagnosis or plan of treatment
- The program pays approved diagnostic or treatment costs; no universal dollar maximum is published on the reviewed current pages.
- Coverage follows approved diagnostic or treatment services rather than a one-time family grant.
Practical Items And Home Help
Complex Medical Help (CMH) — practical items and home help
Ohio Complex Medical Help supports Ohio residents under age 26 who have qualifying special health care needs; current county public-health guidance explicitly lists cancer. Its diagnostic program can pay for evaluation and testing without an income restriction, while the treatment program can cover approved physician visits, prescriptions, therapies, equipment, surgery, and hospitalization subject to medical and financial eligibility. A CMH-approved physician must submit the medical application, which the parent or guardian signs; a local public health nurse can help start the referral and may request a financial application and tax forms.
Amount decided by the program · Recurring
Can cover
- Approved hospital diagnostic services
- Approved surgeries and hospitalizations
- Diagnostic X-rays and testing
- Physician visits
- Prescription medications
- Public health nursing and service coordination
- Therapies and medical equipment
- Therapy evaluations
Does not cover
- Every service a child with a qualifying condition may need is not necessarily covered
- Services or goods the program does not authorize
- Services unrelated to the approved CMH diagnosis or plan of treatment
- The program pays approved diagnostic or treatment costs; no universal dollar maximum is published on the reviewed current pages.
- Coverage follows approved diagnostic or treatment services rather than a one-time family grant.
- The published monetary limit is shared across the listed benefit components.
Why this may help
Practical Items And Home Help: Medical equipment and therapies can be covered alongside testing and treatment.
Check the main eligibility rules
Diagnosis
B-ALL is in scope. Current Ohio county public-health guidance explicitly lists cancer, and the Ohio medical-eligibility rule includes neoplasms and diseases of the blood; pediatric B-ALL is within that scope.
Age
Age 0 to age 25, measured at application.
- Current Ohio law bars an age restriction that excludes an individual under age 26, and current county guidance states that CMH serves applicants under age 26.
- The diagnostic program has a separate statutory no-cost entitlement for Ohio residents under age 21.
Treatment status
Active Treatment
- A provider must verify the patient or diagnosis.
- A CMH-approved physician must submit the medical application.
- Treatment and goods must be provided through approved providers and an approved plan of treatment.
- Families with Medicaid or private insurance may use CMH as secondary assistance for eligible costs; exact coordination-of-benefits rules should be confirmed.
- There is no income restriction for diagnostic services.
- Treatment services require medical and financial eligibility determined by the program; current county pages do not publish a simple FPL cutoff.
- A CMH financial application and tax forms may be required for treatment-program enrollment.
- CMH may cover approved costs not paid by Medicaid or private insurance.
Where you live and where your child is treated
Where your family lives
You must live in: Published program service area in US-OH.
- Permanent Ohio residence is explicit. 'CMH-approved provider' is a provider-network requirement, not a facility whose literal name is the requirement sentence; structure it as the Ohio approved-provider network.
- The applicant must be a permanent Ohio resident.
Where your child is treated
Treatment must be connected to: The applicant must be seen by a CMH-approved provider..
- Permanent Ohio residence is explicit. 'CMH-approved provider' is a provider-network requirement, not a facility whose literal name is the requirement sentence; structure it as the Ohio approved-provider network.
- The applicant must be seen by a CMH-approved provider.
How to get started
Does a social worker or care team need to start it? Yes. Ask your child’s social worker or care team to begin the request.
Who can start: Healthcare Team, Parent Or Guardian, Patient
- Ask the treating physician or local public health nurse whether the child's condition and planned services meet CMH rules.
- Complete a CMH financial application and provide tax forms if requested for treatment-program eligibility.
- The parent, legal guardian, or applicant age 18 or older signs the medical application or release-and-consent form.
- Work with a CMH-approved physician to complete and submit the Medical Application Form.
Ways to apply or ask
- Hospital Workflow · Open form or page · 740-207-0167 — A CMH-approved physician must complete the medical application. The listed number is Pickaway County's current CMH nurse; families elsewhere in Ohio should contact their local city or county health district or treating CMH-approved physician.
- Online Portal · Open form or page
Documents to prepare
- CMH Financial Application if requested
- Medical Application Form completed with a CMH-approved provider
- Parent, guardian, or adult applicant signature or signed release and consent
- Tax forms if requested
- The Ohio Department of Health authorizes approved providers and pays approved diagnostic or treatment services and goods.
Availability and timing
| Program | Active |
|---|---|
| Applications | Open |
| Funding or space | Not Published |
| Application window | Rolling |
| Last checked | Aug 24, 2026 |
- Multiple current county public-health pages actively describe enrollment and contacts.
- The Ohio Department of Health's modern CMH landing page and linked forms returned errors during automated review, so applicants should obtain current forms from a CMH-approved provider or local health district.
- The current county program pages describe ongoing enrollment and do not publish a seasonal deadline.
- Start through the treating physician or local public health nurse as early as possible; no processing-time promise is published.
Limitations and things to confirm
- A CMH-approved physician is required for the medical application.
- CMH does not cover every service a child with a qualifying condition may need.
- The current statewide ODH CMH landing page and form links were not directly reachable during review.
- Treatment-program eligibility is determined medically and financially case by case.
- Does the treatment program currently use any cost-share or annual family liability?
- What current financial formula and documentation rules apply to treatment-program applicants?
- Where is the current statewide ODH CMH landing page and downloadable application set after the recent program rename?
- Which exact leukemia services, prescriptions, equipment, and provider bills will be authorized for a particular child?
Official sources
Program details were last verified Aug 24, 2026. Availability can change, so check the official program before applying.
- Complex Medical Help - Hamilton County Public Health · checked Aug 24, 2026
- Complex Medical Help - Hamilton County Public Health · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Section 3701.021 - Director of health to adopt rules · checked Aug 24, 2026
- Section 3701.021 - Director of health to adopt rules · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Rule 3701-43-17 - Medical eligibility requirements for payment for treatment · checked Aug 24, 2026
- Rule 3701-43-17 - Medical eligibility requirements for payment for treatment · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Complex Medical Help - Pickaway County Public Health · checked Aug 24, 2026
- Complex Medical Help - Pickaway County Public Health · checked Aug 23, 2026