01/08/2010

2010 OAPA Legislative Agenda

Legislative Agenda for 2010

OAPA anticipates a proactive 2010 in the legislative arena. The association will be working with our lobbyists Greg Lestini and Terrence O'Donnell and their activities will be directed by the Board with recommendations from the Government Affairs and Reimbursement Committee, chaired by Josanne Pagel. Executive Director Beth Adamson will also be involved and will be coordinating grassroots efforts as needed.

The Board of Directors will meet on January 23, 2010 to approve a formal legislative agenda and the financial obligations that the agenda will represent. Expected to be included on the agenda are:

Elimination of the certificate to prescribe provisional period requirement for out-of-state PAs. SB89, a bill that will eliminate the provisional period required for out-of-state APNs for their certificate to prescribe, was passed by the Ohio General Assembly and will soon become law. Despite all our efforts (see the December 2009 Newsletter at www.ohiopa.com), OAPA was unable to get PAs included in the new law.

Approval of PAs to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances. HB206 is a bill currently in the Ohio General Assembly that will allow APNs to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances. Efforts to get PAs included in this bill in the House were not successful (see the December 2009 Newsletter at www.ohipa.com). OAPA will continue to make every effort to get PAs included when the bill goes to Senate hearings.

OAPA will continue to review any new legislation that is introduced in 2010 for possible action. The association is also considering an omnibus bill that will include not only the provisional period elimination and Schedule II approval but also a number of other updates to the PA practice laws.

The following bills will also be on the upcoming agenda (for details of action taken by OAPA last year see the December 2009 Newsletter at www.ohiopa.com).

HB122 (Boyd) Establishes standards for physician designations by health care insurers.

HB205 (Letson) Requires hospitals and ambulatory surgical facilities to assign a circulating nurse to each procedure performed in an operating room or invasive procedure room and to require surgical technologists to work under the direct supervision of circulating nurses.

HB267 (Luckie) Creates the Ohio Official Prescription Program.

HB314 (Ujvagi) Authorizes RNs to determine and pronounce death.

SB86 (Buehrer) To grant qualified civil immunity to a physician who provides emergency medical services, first-aid treatment or other emergency professional care in compliance with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act or as a result of a disaster.

SB158 (R. Miller) Requires certain health care professionals to complete instruction in cultural competency.