Advocacy

State Agencies

Ohio Agency Monitoring

The OOA routinely attends meetings and reviews, analyzes and interprets agency regulations as they are promulgated. For rules and regulations and other information about health-related state agencies, visit the following websites:

Ohio Medicaid

In 2019, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) released a request for information (RFI) to gather public input as it selects new managed care partners. This was the first rebid since 2012.

ODM’s first step in the process was to collect feedback on current Medicaid services, what is working, and ideas for improvement. The RFI was a 10-page document that included questions for enrollees, the general public, and providers. To make it easier to respond, the OOA developed an online form with only the physician-specific questions. The completed forms were consolidated and submitted to ODM by the July 31 deadline. Later, ODM announced it will continue to collect feedback regarding its managed care program. OOA members are invited to complete the online form of only the physician-specific questions. Comments will be forwarded to ODM on an ongoing basis.

Medicare in Ohio

Ohio DOs and OOA staff serve on the Medicare Carrier Advisory Committee and the Board of Trustees of Ohio's Quality Improvement Organization (Ohio KePRO, Inc). For helpful Medicare information, use these links.

If you aren’t registered for the CGS ListServ, you may not have all the latest information concerning Medicare. CGS is committed to continuous communication and the OOA encourages you to take advantage of this free service. Click here to sign up and select your areas of interest: https://www.cgsmedicare.com/medicare_dynamic/ls/001.asp  Upon registration, subscribers will receive critical and timely email notifications targeted towards the contracts they serve.

MLN-Logo

The Medicare Learning Network (MLN) is the home for education, information, and resources for the Medicare Fee-For-Service provider community.  The MLN gives you access to the Medicare Program information you need, when you need it, so you can focus more on providing care to your patients. Serving as the umbrella for a variety of CMS education and communication activities, the MLN offers:

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has a series of 11 short video and audio presentations for health care providers on top health care compliance topics. The newest step in OIG's Provider Compliance Training initiative, these free videos, average about four minutes each and cover major health care fraud and abuse laws, the basics of health care compliance programs, and what to do when a compliance issue arises.  The site also includes  audio podcasts with more detailed information on a variety of compliance topics. Visit the OIG Provider Compliance website here https://oig.hhs.gov/newsroom/video/2011/heat_modules.asp

Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS)

OARRS is a free on-line tool for physicians and other prescribers to check to see if new or existing patients are potentially abusing dangerous drugs or obtaining prescriptions from multiple providers that could cause adverse drug interactions. Outpatient pharmacies that dispense controlled substances to Ohio residents are required to report information into the database at regular intervals.  

Any prescriber can access OARRS to obtain detail prescription drug histories that includes the:

  • Patients name, address and phone number
  • Patient's date of birth and gender
  • Quantity of drug
  • Days supply of drug
  • Date of dispensing
  • Date prescription written or authorized
  • Number of refills authorized
  • Prescriber's DEA registration number
  • Pharmacy's name and contact information

HB 93, passed in 2011, requires all Ohio prescribers to register for OARRS and query the system according to rules established by the Ohio State Medical Board. To establish an account with OARRS, go to http://www.ohiopmp.gov and complete the online registration.

CliniSync  - Ohio Health Information Partnership 

CliniSyncCliniSync, (also known as the Ohio Health Information Partnership) was designated by Gov. Ted Strickland in August 2009, to oversee the adoption and use of electronic medical records by Ohio's health care providers. The founding five members include BioOhio, Ohio Hospital Association, Ohio State Medical Association, Ohio Osteopathic Association, and the State of Ohio. The partnership has received more than $43 million in state and federal funding and is charged with implementing and overseeing a statewide Health Information Exchange (HIE) that will improve access to data and patient information by authorized health care providers while ensuring patient privacy.  CliniSync is  collaborating  with industry experts to provide educational, technical, and procurement services to health care providers who need to implement electronic medical records and achieve meaningful use to qualify for up to $63,750 in incentive payments from the federal government. OOA has a permanent seat on CliniSync's Executive Committee.

 

Public Health Initiatives

The OOA maintains ongoing relations with allied health associations and other healthcare organizations. The OOA provides representation on inter-professional coalitions such as the Ohio Tobacco Control Resource Group, Ohio Coalition for Civil Justice, State Planning Committee for Health Education in Ohio, Ohio Coalition of Primary Care Physicians, Ohio Medical Volunteer Corps, Health Policy Institute of Ohio, eHealth Ohio, and similar organizations.