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.
AAFP Speak Out Opportunities
Source: The American Academy of Family Physicians
- Tell Congress to Protect Medicaid
Family physicians are on the front lines of healthcare, providing essential services to patients of all backgrounds and demographics, many of whom are covered by Medicaid. The AAFP is deeply concerned about proposals to potentially cut Medicaid funding, which could have devastating effects on patients and communities.
- Express Concern with Congress Over Recent HHS Layoffs
A recent Executive Order issued by the Trump Administration directed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to lay off thousands of federal workers responsible for carrying out the mission and functions of the department. HHS supports essential public health initiatives, provides vital services, and ensures the safety and well-being of our communities. A fully staffed and adequately resourced health department is crucial for managing public health challenges, delivering care and coverage to individuals, and ensuring effective responses to ongoing and future health issues.
- Urge Congress to Prioritize Family Medicine in Funding Package
Congress has until Friday, March 14, to pass a funding package that addresses critical issues affecting family medicine and family medicine patients. This Speak Out urges members of Congress to include relief to offset the 2.8% cut to Medicare physician payment, ensure adequate funding for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, and make certain COVID-era telehealth flexibilities permanent.
Ohio Lawmakers Consider Repealing Medicaid Expansion for 770,000 Residents
Source: The Columbus Dispatch
Hundreds of thousands of Ohioans could lose healthcare coverage if Ohio lawmakers go through with a proposed repeal of Medicaid expansion in the state budget bill.
Ohio representatives are considering a measure in the budget that would repeal Medicaid expansion funding if the federal medical assistance is below 90%. The move comes as top Republicans consider cuts to federal Medicaid spending and adding work requirements to the program.
The repeal would affect Ohioans with an income below 138% of the federal poverty level, or about $44,000 for a family of four.
Ohio expanded Medicaid eligibility for low-income adults under 65 in 2014. About 770,000 Ohioans are enrolled due to the expansion.
The move would hit rural health systems especially hard, as rural counties typically have higher percentages of residents enrolled in Medicaid, according to data from the Ohio Department of Medicaid.
John Palmer, spokesman for the Ohio Hospital Association, said in a statement to the statehouse bureau that healthcare coverage is critical for Ohioans to ensure they can access services.
“For more than 10 years Ohio policymakers have prioritized this program which has impacted thousands of Ohioans to achieve stronger health outcomes while supporting safety net hospitals across the state,” John Palmer said. “Ohio hospitals are supportive of the administration’s introduced executive state budget for this program, and we will continue to advocate for a sustainable healthcare system so that Ohioans have access to high quality hospital care in their communities.”
The statehouse bureau reached out to House Finance Committee Chair Representative Brian Stewart, (R-Ashville, OH) by phone and email for the reasoning behind the proposed repeal, but did not receive a response prior to publication.
Read the full article in The Columbus Dispatch.
AAFP Pushes for Tax Policy Favoring Family Physicians
Source: The American Academy of Family Physicians
With several tax cuts set to expire at the end of this year, including some affecting independent physician practice finances and patients’ costs, Congress is making a priority of tax reform. Other tax policy proposals that could benefit family physicians, especially residents and those who practice in underserved areas, are also part of the discussion.
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) is weighing in early.
“Numerous tax-related policies within this committee’s jurisdiction,” the AAFP recently told the House Ways and Means Committee, “could protect independent physician practices, incentivize other family physicians to work in high-need communities, and invest in the health and well-being of patients.”
- Protects independent and small family physician practices
- Extends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits
- Ensures access to affordable care for patients with chronic conditions by codifying current IRS guidance
- Encourages physicians to participate in federal loan repayment programs that provide care to rural and medically underserved communities
- Upholds the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that support physicians and their patients.
Read the full article on the AAFP website.
Telehealth Abortion Care Provider Launches Services in Ohio amid Increased Demand
Source: The Columbus Dispatch
Ohioans can more widely and easily access telehealth abortion and other reproductive and sexual health services after virtual care clinic Hey Jane launched in the Buckeye State recently.
The clinic, which was founded in 2021 and currently operates remotely in 20 states, offers another option in an Ohio that’s increasingly seen as an abortion care hub and whose in-person abortion options are “inundated,” according to providers.
Ohio currently has nine in-person abortion clinics serving its population of nearly 12 million, as well as anyone coming from states with abortion bans, including the surrounding West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana, which have some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the nation.
“I founded Hey Jane after witnessing clinic closures in the Midwest spike at an alarming rate, which has only worsened post-Dobbs,” said Kiki Freedman, co-founder and chief executive officer at Hey Jane. “As we continue expanding, our mission—to provide virtual reproductive and sexual healthcare, including abortion care, to as many individuals as possible—remains steadfast, and the launch into Ohio marks a pivotal moment in achieving that goal.”
Read the full article in The Columbus Dispatch.