State & Federal Budgets: What Physicians Need to Know Right Now

There has been considerable activity coming from both the state and federal governments within the past few weeks. Each level has passed a budget and is considering legislation that could directly impact providers and patients. Below is a reference to key changes and ways in which you can get involved. 

Find key updates below and click here to skip ahead to the federal budget update, including the status of funding for the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), which is crucial for emergency preparedness in Ohio.

State Budget

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the state’s biennial operating budget into law on June 30, 2025. Click here to read about key provisions, as well as the Governor’s vetoes. The House is expected to return on July 21 to override some of the Governor’s vetoes. 

State Miscellaneous

House Bill 281 was introduced into the Ohio House on May 20, 2025. This bill would allow the enforcement of federal immigration laws in Ohio hospitals. Click here to learn more about the potential impacts from this legislation.

There are a number of other bills pending in the state legislature that will impact physicians and patients. See the our June 13 State Policy Advocacy Alert to learn more about those bills. There are no current updates to those bills, but we will monitor the legislation to provide the latest updates when applicable.

TAKE ACTION: After passing the state budget, the Ohio legislature (mostly) adjourned for the summer. Now is a great time to meet with your legislator in your district to discuss current or potential bills or issues of importance to you. Click here to identify your legislator and legislators representing locations where your patients are served. 

Federal Budget

The U.S. Congress passed the federal reconciliation budget on July 3, 2025. The reconciliation bill addresses mandatory spending for programs such as Medicaid. Click here to learn more about how the federal budget bill impacts physicians and patients, particularly those on Medicaid.

The federal appropriations budget, which controls discretionary spending for programs such as the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), is currently working its way through the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The Trump Administration proposed eliminating funding to the HPP. 

There is positive news—with support from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), the current versions of the appropriations budgets include funding for Health Care Readiness and Recovery, which includes the HPP. Action from our members and partners is still needed to join a number of organizations, including our affiliate COTS, to continue to push to keep and increase funding for the HPP. 

For more details on the importance of HPP funding for our safety in Ohio: 

• Read our HPP Advocacy Alert here.
• Read the Columbus Dispatch article on the proposed cuts here.
• Watch the 10TV story on the proposed cuts here.

TAKE ACTION: To advocate for stable funding for the HPP, you can contact Rep. David Joyce (District 14) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (District 09) who are both representatives from Ohio and on the House Appropriations Committee. 

If you have questions about COTS, contact Sherri Kovach, COTS President, at skovach@cotshealth.org.