The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) advocacy team monitors healthcare related legislation, rule changes, and legislative updates for Ohio’s family physicians.
To access the OAFP Bill Tracker, visit the OAFP Public Policy webpage and click on the Bill Tracker icon.
Read on for this week’s updates and contact Advocacy Coordinator Kaela Springhetti with questions or for ways to get involved.
Requests for Physician Feedback
Proposed Rule Changes
The State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO) is holding a public hearing concerning proposed rule changes to personal information systems, continuing medical education, pronouncement of death, exposure prone invasive procedures, delegation of medical tasks, and radiologist assistants. Find a full list of rule changes on the State Medical Board of Ohio.
The Public Hearing will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19, in conference room 1855 of the Rhodes State Office Tower, 30 East Broad Street, 18th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215.
Oral or written testimony may be presented by any person affected by the proposed actions.
Ohio Reentry 1115 Demonstration Waiver Application
The Ohio Department of Medicaid is seeking public input on the Ohio Reentry 1115 Demonstration Waiver Application prior to submission to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This application is part of an ongoing effort to provide coverage for certain Medicaid services to individuals who are soon-to-be released from incarceration.
Please email any comments to JIInitiatives@medicaid.ohio.gov no later than Thursday, August 7, at 5 pm.
CMS Releases Rule to Limit Medicaid Provider Taxes
Source: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is moving to restrict the taxes on providers and managed care companies that states use to fund Medicaid, proposing a rule to codify policies in federal HR 1, which passed last summer (Source: CMS Moves to Codify Limits on Medicaid Provider Taxes, Healthcare Dive, July 22).
The recently released rule would create new limits on the taxes based on provider and state, phase down allowable taxes in Medicaid expansion states and strengthen federal oversight of the arrangements. CMS actuaries estimate the changes will lower the federal government’s Medicaid spending by $246 billion over the next decade.
Physicians and other healthcare professionals oppose stricter constraints on alternative Medicaid financing mechanisms, arguing they’re necessary to make up for insufficient Medicaid reimbursement. Curbing the taxes will also make it harder for states to raise money to cover their residents’ Medicaid coverage.
Earlier this year, the Health Policy Institute of Ohio released a policy explainer on changes to Medicaid financing in Ohio. Data included in the explainer showed that the three largest taxes in Ohio (on hospitals, health insurers, and nursing homes/long-term care units) together raised $3.2 billion in state revenue in State Fiscal Year 2025, comprising 24% of the state’s total share of the Medicaid budget.
July Issue of AAFP’s Family Medicine Advocacy Rounds
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has released its July issue of Family Medicine Advocacy Rounds, a monthly tip sheet to educate, engage, and update you on the latest policy issues affecting family physicians and their patients.
- AAFP Responds to 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
- Patients First Act Signals More Support for Primary Care Payment
- Leading Physician Groups Oppose Public Charge Rule
- AAFP Comments on Proposed Changes to Federal Grant Rules
- AAFP Encouraged by PSLF Ruling
- Family Physicians Oppose Medicaid Work Reporting Requirements
- CMS Proposes New Limits on Medicaid Physician Payments
- House Health Subcommittee Advances AAFP-Supported Health Bills
- Triple Double Campaign Launches at PrimaryCare26
- AAFP Urges Continued Youth Tobacco Surveillance
- AAFP Supports Expanded Access to Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs.