The Ohio General Assembly has seen active committee work and new bill introductions in the last two weeks, with significant focus on various healthcare-related issues, including the following:

• Insurance Reform Hearings: Ohio House and Senate committees considered health insurance reform proposals that are supported by healthcare advocacy groups including the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA). The bills generally aim to bring greater transparency to and address the power of insurance companies in the healthcare system. Read about OSMA’s advocacy efforts (including testimony by OSMA physician members) on insurance reform legislation here.
• Testimony on Scope of Practice and Noncompete Legislation: OSMA also testified in opposition to Advanced Practice Registered Nurse scope of practice and physician assistant name change legislation, and in support of legislation that seeks to limit noncompete clauses in physician, physician assistant, and advanced practice registered nurse employment agreements with hospitals. Read about these advocacy efforts here.  
• Vaccine Exemption Legislation Introduced: The Ohio House introduced the Parental C.H.O.I.C.E. Act (HB 561), legislation that would expand vaccine exemptions for children in school settings. Among other things, the bill aims to ensure parents are informed of their rights to conscientious, religious, and medical exemptions to the same extent parents are notified of the requirement to vaccinate their children. The legislation requires no supporting documentation for a parent’s objection to vaccination. Lastly, the bill would remove the hepatitis B vaccine requirement for preschoolers.