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Our Public Policy Committee and Advocacy Community assist physicians in getting their voices heard on the issues that matter most to them.

 

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Top tags: Advocacy  COTS  Federal Policy  State Policy Update  HPP Funding  Ohio Budget  Public Policy  HPP 

Getting Your Voice Heard: CMA’s Public Policy Committee Convenes to Discuss Pressing Issues
Posted By Columbus Medical Association - CMA, Saturday, September 13, 2025
Updated: Friday, September 12, 2025


The CMA’s Public Policy Committee is taking important steps to amplify the voices of central Ohio physicians during this time of attacks on evidence-based medicine and severe funding cuts. 

Physician voices are incredibly important to help shape public policy in Ohio. Having physicians like Sen. Beth Liston, MD, (D) District 12 and Rep. Anita Somani, MD (D) District 8 in the Ohio legislature is invaluable to ensuring policy matters are analyzed from a healthcare lens. Additionally, it is more critical now than ever that legislators hear directly from us. 

The Public Policy Committee convened on August 27, 2025, to discuss its policy and advocacy goals and how to help physicians share their expertise. With so much occurring at the state and federal levels, they are tasked with identifying the priority areas where physicians can make a difference for the practice of medicine, physicians, and community health.

While this committee moves forward with this important work, we will soon reignite our Advocacy Community, a space where all CMA physicians and affiliates can come together to learn, discuss timely policy issues, and connect directly with colleagues who understand the importance of and share a passion for advocacy.

There are a number of actions you can take right now:

  • Advocate for HPP Funding: HPP is the primary source of funding for health care preparedness and response nationwide, which is managed by COTS in 36 of Ohio’s 88 counties. Through the federal reconciliation process of breaking federal appropriations into smaller bills by subject matter, the U.S. Senate approved the bill that includes HPP funding. It is now being considered by the House Appropriations Committee before moving to the full house.
  • Join our Advocacy Community: Details on upcoming meetings will be posted on this page soon.
  • Take our Advocacy Training: These trainings were developed with former CMA President and current Ohio Senator Dr. Beth Liston, and detail how to effectively engage in the public policy process.
  • Find your Legislators and Community Leaders: Make sure you are up to date on who represents you and you know how to contact them when you are ready to advocate for an issue. 
  • Read our Advocacy Alerts and Take Action: All alerts are found on this page and are also sent via email. If you are not receiving CMA emails, please check your junk or spam folders, or contact Lynn Manoogian at lmanoogian@columbusmedicalassociation.org. 
  • Ensure you are Registered to Vote: The deadline to register to vote for the November General Election is October 6. Also review the voter identification requirements as they have changed in the past few years.

During this divisive time, we know we are better together. By uniting our voices, we can better protect evidence-based medicine, strengthen physician leadership, and ensure healthier communities across Ohio.

 

Tags:  HPP Funding 

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State & Federal Budgets: What Physicians Need to Know Right Now
Posted By Columbus Medical Association - CMA, Friday, July 11, 2025
Updated: Wednesday, July 9, 2025

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.

 

Tags:  Advocacy  COTS  Federal Policy  HPP Funding  State Policy Update 

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