COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio has reached an agreement with the federal government on a plan aimed at better coordinating medical care for some of the state's sickest and most expensive patients.

State officials want to streamline the way health care is delivered to Ohioans enrolled in both Medicaid and Medicare. The two programs operate fairly independently of each other.

Ohio has created a three-year demonstration project aimed at better linking the care of these so-called "dual-eligible" individuals. The project would affect almost 114,000 beneficiaries living in seven urban regions.

Federal officials had to sign off on the project before the state could move forward. Gov. John Kasich's (KAY'-siks) administration said Wednesday the agreement with the federal government makes Ohio the third state - after Massachusetts and Washington - to finalize such a proposal.

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