AOA Joins the OOA in Opposing Ohio HB 259

The American Osteopathic Association sent a letter to the chair of the Ohio Senate Health, Human Services and Aging Committee, this week, opposing HB 259.

The legislation passed the Ohio House of Representatives by a vote of 66-29 and would permit unlicensed individuals to provide alternative or complementary health care services to patients without being in violation of health care professional licensing laws. The Ohio Osteopathic Association and most of the  state’s licensed health care practitioners and their respective licensing boards are opposed to House Bill 259 for the following reasons:

• House Bill 259 establishes no minimum education, training, or competency standards for alternative health care practitioners.

• There is no defined scope of practice for these unlicensed alternative health care practitioners and such individuals would be able to engage in activities that currently require a license.

• Such unlicensed alternative health care practitioners would be able to engage in medical practices related to many areas of health and disease without any real oversight.

• The bill prohibits such unlicensed alternative health care practitioners from engaging in only 15 specific risk activities when there are several areas of practice that are inappropriate for an alternative health care practitioner to engage in.

• Long established licensure boards would be prohibited from taking any action against a person who is practicing in their profession, unless the unlicensed alternative health care practitioner engaged in any of the 15 specific risk activities. 

• House Bill 259 would not stop a currently licensed health care practitioner whose license has been suspended from becoming an alternative health care practitioner and continuing practicing as such.  

• A person who receives “treatment” from an alternative health care practitioner that causes harm would have no recourse since there is no licensure board protecting the public.