Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers at both the federal and state level have worked to expand the availability of telehealth services. Since telehealth , in many cases, is viewed to provide a convenient, accessible and safe alternative to in-person visits with healthcare providers, it has been considered an effective tool to maintain … Continue Reading
In March 2020, the State Medical Board of Ohio issued guidance temporarily relaxing Ohio’s telemedicine rules for physicians, permitting physicians to use telemedicine in place of in-person visits in many circumstances for the duration of Ohio’s COVID-19 state of emergency declaration. With Governor DeWine’s termination of the state of emergency in June of 2021, the … Continue Reading
Unlike most other states, Ohio does not currently have a hospital licensure system. While Ohio hospitals are subject to registration and information reporting requirements, as well as licensure requirements for certain discrete hospital services, Ohio does not require hospitals to obtain a state license in order to operate. That may change if certain provisions in … Continue Reading
Ohio recently revised the definition of an Ambulatory Surgical Facility (ASF), as part of the new 2020/2021 general operating budget legislation. The change expanded the ASF definition, potentially triggering ASF licensing requirements for some facilities not previously subject to such requirements. Under the revised definition, an ASF includes (1) all facilities that provide outpatient surgical … Continue Reading
In a closely watched decision, this past week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit upheld an Ohio law permitting Ohio to defund Planned Parenthood clinics. See Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio v. Hodges, Case No. 16-4027 (Mar. 12, 2019). An 11 to 6 majority of the full panel of the Sixth Circuit … Continue Reading
Employers need to be prepared to address issues with employees regarding possession and use of medical marijuana. What Does the Law Say? Ohio’s medical marijuana law, passed in 2016, permits patients with any of 21 specific medical conditions to purchase, use and possess medical marijuana in various forms (including certain dried plant material, oils and … Continue Reading
On May 17, the Ohio Board of Nursing (the Board) adopted a new formulary which expands the prescriptive authority for certain of Ohio’s advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Specifically, this new “exclusionary” formulary applies to Ohio’s certified nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists and certified nurse midwives. The new formulary was adopted pursuant to Ohio’s House … Continue Reading
On March 30, 2016, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that healthcare providers who serve the elderly in the following 10 states will have task forces looking over their shoulders: California, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington. Known as the Elder Justice Task Forces (Task Forces), these partnerships combine the … Continue Reading
Introduced on June 4, 2013, Ohio S.B. 140 proposes to make some of the most significant changes to Ohio’s insurance laws since perhaps the Ohio Healthcare Simplification Act (H.B. 125) in 2008. If passed, the bill will impact everything from insurer’s filing and disclosure obligations, reinsurance options, online and other automated transactions, risk management programs … Continue Reading
On March 22, 2013, a new Ohio law will go into effect that seeks to clarify who must notify a patient that his or her physician’s employment has been terminated. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 4731.228, the “health care entity” that employs a physician is now responsible for notifying the physician’s patients that the physician’s … Continue Reading
Last week, Ohio Governor John Kasich announced his proposal to balance Ohio’s budget (the Blue Book). Because the Ohio budget is in large part reserved for Medicaid, health care changes play a significant role in the new budget plan. The slides below are from a presentation summarizing Kasich’s budget plan. The plan is merely an … Continue Reading
