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03/17/2021

March Advocacy Update—The Issues on OSMA’s Agenda

 


OSMA’s Government Relations team serves as the voice of Ohio’s physicians—advising state departments and influencing state policy on health issues. The 134th General Assembly has kicked off – and this year, OSMA will be working on a variety of familiar issues, as well as laying the groundwork and progressing with several reform initiatives.

Priorities we’re working on:



Scope of Practice

OSMA will continue to advocate for the physician-led, team-based care model and expects to work on several scope issues this year:


Insurer Reforms

Our members continue to be concerned about the administrative burden that insurer policies and processes create for them and their practices, along with certain roadblocks to care that their patients encounter. Some of the issues we are exploring and pursuing this year include:


Public Health

Along with continuing to be highly engaged with the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, OSMA anticipates working on the following public health matters:


Medicaid Reimbursement

OSMA will keep supporting an increase in rate of reimbursement given to physicians by the Medicaid program for health care services delivered to Medicaid recipients.


Tort Reform

OSMA will monitor the medical liability climate in Ohio and continue to support stability for Ohio physicians. Additional liability protections for the COVID-19 pandemic were signed into law in September 2020 after the passage of OSMA-supported legislation HB 606. Our advocacy efforts were critical to this becoming law, and those on the front lines of the healthcare system can rest assured that they will be given additional protections for their heroism during unprecedented times.

 

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