OHSIPP is currently tracking several bills and laws that are in Ohio’s legislature.
This is our legislative update as of mid-April 2021. We are monitoring these bills for you all to provide value to our membership.
It is important to keep in mind that these are just bills, and very few bills become actual laws. However, it is important for us to monitor these for areas of interest for our members. Some of the bills affect us directly (like having all scheduled II scripts be Escribed) and, thus, it is important for us to follow.
Below is a summary of some of the important bills:
House Bill 160 – Health Estimates and Price Transparency: Put forward by Rep Holmes. Introduced in house in 2/18 - first hearing on 3/10.
It authorizes regulatory agencies to put forward remedies for those who fail to comply with price transparency rules. Most of this affects hospitals, however.
Senate Bill 150 – Physician Contracts: This bill was put forward by Senator Johnson and Williams on 3/31.
This bill prohibits non-compete clauses in physician contracts. This is interesting as on one hand it helps protect physicians from overzealous institutions, but on the other, it may limit physician owners who have their own practices from being able to protect themselves from a partnership gone poorly.
Senate Bill 8 – Cultural Competency: This bill was introduced by Senators Maharath and Antonio on 2/3, and it requires to complete a course on cultural competency required at renewal and first license. The bill effects several professionals like Dentist, Nurses, Doctors/Physicians, Pharmacists and Psychologists.
House Bill 122 – Telehealth Bill: Introduced by Rep Frazier on 2/16, and had a first hearing on 3/24. This is the bill to establish rules for telemedicine long term in our state.
As we all know, many have started using telemedicine due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This permits specified health care professionals to provide telehealth services and requires telehealth services provided by health care professionals to be done so according to specified conditions and standards. It also permits certain health care licensing boards to adopt rules as necessary to carry out the bill’s provisions regarding telehealth services provided by health care professionals.
House Bill 193 – Electronic Prescriptions: Introduced by Rep. Cutrona and Rep. Pavliga in the House 3/9. First House Hearing 3/23.
Regarding electronic prescriptions and schedule II-controlled substances, this bill requires that all schedule II drugs be prescribed electronically.
Board Position: Interested Party
House Bill 196 – Surgical Assistants: Brought forward by Rep. Kelly and Rep. Carruthers and introduced on 3/9 to regulate the practice of surgical assistants which creates a new license type for surgical assistants to be overseen by the Medical Board. Our members who have their own ASCs may want to follow this.
House Bill 221 – Advanced Practice Registered Nurses: Introduced by Rep. Brinkman and Rep. Gross to the house on 3/17.
The bill seeks to modify the laws governing the practice of advanced practice registered nurses and to designate these provisions as the Better Access, Better Care Act. This would allow an APRN who has completed 2,000 clinical practice hours under a standard care arrangement the option to practice without a collaboration agreement. It also allows an APRN who has not completed the required hours to enter into a standard care arrangement with an APRN who has completed 2,000 clinical practice hours.