12/18/2025
Advocacy in Action: OSMA's Ohio Legislature Update
The Ohio Legislature has wrapped up for the 2025 year and will now be recessed for the holidays until the New Year. Within the fall months, there was a rush of activity surrounding the health insurance reform legislation OSMA has been supporting this year.
We are proud to say that halfway through the 136th General Assembly, each of the major insurance reform proposals we are supporting has had at least one hearing in the legislative committee process, and some of them have had multiple hearings. This is great progress and means that each bill has cleared at least one of the hurdles it must pass through in order to complete its legislative journey.
- HB 214: Prior Authorization Gold Card – Sponsor hearing 5/20/2025
- HB 219: Network Adequacy – Sponsor hearing 5/6/2025, Proponent hearing 10/7/2025
- HB 220: Prior Authorization-Retroactive Denials, Peer to Peer, Appeals – Sponsor hearing 5/27/2025, Second hearing 10/21/2025, Proponent hearing 10/28/2025
- HB 390: Collection of Copays – Sponsor hearing 10/21/2025
- HB 429: Prohibit Reimbursement Reduction – Sponsor hearing 10/21/2025
- SB 160: Non-Medical Switching – Sponsor hearing 6/17/2025, Proponent hearing 9/30/2025, Opponent/Interested Party hearing 10/21/2025
- SB 162: Takebacks – Sponsor hearing 9/30/2025, Proponent hearing 10/21/2025
- SB 164: Transparency in Health Plan Use of AI – Sponsor hearing 10/28/2025
- SB 165: Automatic Downcoding and Prudent Layperson – Sponsor hearing 10/14/2025
In Case You Missed It:
There were also several hearings regarding scope of practice proposals last month. As a reminder, OSMA immediate past president Dr. Elizabeth Muennich provided testimony in a hearing opposing HB 508, legislation which would grant independent practice authority to Ohio advanced practice registered nurses. In addition, OSMA VP of Advocacy Monica Hueckel testified in opposition to HB 353, which would change the title of “physician assistant” to “physician associate.”
In fact, numerous physician members have taken a hands-on role in OSMA advocacy this fall and helped OSMA to carry out our advocacy work by giving legislators their uniquely powerful clinical perspective. We are endlessly thankful for their contributions.
Please stay tuned for OSMA’s Advocacy Report, coming next month. This biannual magazine is your key to understanding the most important action during the past year on OSMA’s legislative and regulatory priorities. It will give more details regarding our physician leaders’ participation in our efforts this fall. The Advocacy Report will be released, to mailboxes and electronically, in mid-late January 2026.
Thank you for an amazing year of advocacy and happy holidays!
Support the OSMAPAC for 2026!
The OSMAPAC has started fundraising for the 2026 year and is gearing up for the fall general election coming next November! Each year, our dedicated physician leaders raise vital funds to keep supporting key elected officials that exemplify what it means to be an ally to the practice of medicine. Help us have another strong year and please consider contributing to the OSMAPAC.
Or text “OSMAPAC” to 41444.
Thank you for your consideration!