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Ohio: Continued Fight on Two Bills
Posted on:
November 25, 2009
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As of press time in November, the Ohio Legislature had not acted on a bill to allow NPs to prescribe schedule II controlled substances. The bill had several hearings and passed out of committee by a vote of 14 to 3, according to Ohio Association of Advanced Practice Nurses (OAAPN) lobbyist Lori Herf.
"There was lots of drama," said Herf, "and even a last-second attempt by the OSMA to amend their late amendment." Herf said the amendment would have prohibited NPs from prescribing schedule II drugs at convenient care clinics. "[It] was called out of order and not voted on," she said.
Another bill, HB 198, would create a patient-centered medical home demonstration project, but it does not include NPs as primary care providers. Herf and other NPs have testified twice to add NPs to the language. At press time, the bill was still under consideration by the Healthcare Access and Affordability committee.
Testimony provided by NP practice owner Candy Reinhart explained that NPs serve as primary care providers in all types of insurance plans and are key to the primary care health system. "In fact, in many rural and underserved areas of Ohio and our nation, they are the only available primary care providers," she testified.
The bill sponsors claim that NPs don't have appropriate scope of practice, that they aren't licensed independent providers, and that they cannot teach medical residents. Therefore, they argue, NPs cannot be included in the medical home project. Herf testified with evidence refuting all of these claims. She said she's committed to further educating the sponsors so that NPs are included in this bill.
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