State Policy Updates

The Ohio General Assembly was busy at the end of 2025! Both houses introduced legislation affecting physicians, health care organizations, and patients, and also moved legislation that had been previously introduced. The most noteworthy updates include the following: 

HB 508 (Enact the Better Access to Health Care Act): This legislation received two hearings in the House Medicaid Committee in November, including proponent and opponent testimony. The Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) testified in opposition to the bill, which grants an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who is a certified nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or certified nurse-midwife the option to practice without a Standard Care Arrangement and collaborating practitioner if the APRN has practiced in a clinical setting for 5,000 hours; and also permits an APRN’s collaborating practitioner to be not only a physician, but also an APRN who is not practicing with another collaborator.  

HB 567: This was introduced in the House and referred to the House Health Committee. This bill is aimed at restructuring the governance and operational standards of the nursing profession in Ohio. Among other things, the bill seeks to expand clinical autonomy for advanced practice registered nurses, introduces a tiered regulatory framework for midwifery, and clarifies the Board of Nursing’s authority to discipline licensees for disqualifying offenses. 

HB 589: This bill was introduced in the House and referred to the House Insurance Committee. It requires health insurance companies to give to providers material amendments to their contract at least 90 days prior to the effective date of such amendment(s). 

HB 629 (Enact the Pharmacist Prescribing Authority Act): This was introduced in the House. In accordance with a protocol that meets requirements described in the bill, the legislation would permit a pharmacist to provide treatment and related services to individuals age 13 or older for any of the following health conditions by ordering or performing laboratory or diagnostic tests or screenings; evaluating or interpreting the results of the tests or screenings; prescribing drugs and drug therapy related devices, excluding any controlled substance: (1) Influenza; (2) Pharyngitis caused by the bacteria known as "group A Streptococcus"; (3) COVID; (4) Bronchitis; (5) Sinusitis; (6) Lice; (7) Skin conditions, including ringworm and athlete's foot; (8) Urinary tract infections; (9) HIV prevention, including pre-exposure and postexposure prophylaxis; (10) Any other minor or generally self-limiting condition specified in the protocol. 

Federal Policy Updates 

On January 20, the U.S. House of Representatives released the text of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which includes the FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This bill represents a bipartisan negotiation between Congress and provides funding for the remainder of FY26. The bill is part of a larger "minibus" package designed to prevent a government shutdown. It provides $116.6 billion to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, notably rejecting many of the deeper cuts and department restructurings initially proposed by the Administration. 

• National Institutes of Health (NIH): Received approximately $48.7 billion. Key allocations include $7.4 billion for cancer research, $3.9 billion for Alzheimer’s, and $2.3 billion for diabetes. The bill specifically protects the NIH from a proposed 15% cap on indirect cost rates. 
• CDC: Funded at roughly $9.2 billion (near-level funding). It includes modest $10 million increases for both Public Health Infrastructure ($360 million total) and Data Modernization ($185 million total). 
• Mental Health & Substance Abuse: 
  • $5.5 billion total for mental health services. 
  • $1.6 billion for State Opioid Response Grants. 
  • $535 million for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (a $15 million increase). 
• Preparedness: $3.7 billion for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the line item that funds the Hospital Preparedness Program. This appropriation includes $240 million, or level funding, for formula grants. 
• Community Health Centers: $1.86 billion in discretionary funding, plus extensions of mandatory funding. 
• Rural Health: $418 million, specifically targeting rural hospitals at risk of closure and increasing rural residency spots. 
• Maternal Health: $1.2 billion for the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, including a new $15 million "Food is Medicine" pilot for maternal produce prescriptions. 
• Ryan White HIV/AIDS: Maintained at $2.6 billion, including level funding for the "Ending the HIV Epidemic" initiative. 

Policy changes encompassed in the bill include: 

• Language that requires hospitals to ensure each off-campus outpatient department (OPD) has a unique National Provider Identifier distinct from the main hospital. Noncompliance will render the OPD ineligible for Medicare payment starting in 2028. 
• Extension of pandemic-era Medicare telehealth waivers through 2027. 

The bill does not include an extension of the enhanced subsidies for buying Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace insurance. The status quo means ACA enrollees will continue to face premium payments that have been projected to more than double the 2025 out-of-pocket premium, on average.