01/25/2022

HHS Releasing Additional Provider Relief Funds

January 25, 2022 – Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made the following announcement about more than $2 billion in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 General Distribution payments to more than 7,600 providers across the country.

01/24/2022

Council Spotlight: A Q&A with Shannon C. Trotter, DO

January 24, 2022 – OSMA council works tirelessly on behalf of our members to ensure OSMA is meeting the needs of physicians and responding to the ever-changing healthcare landscape. Meet. Dr. Trotter.

01/21/2022

Vaccine Mandate Update & Guidance

January 21, 2022 – After the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the ban against the vaccine mandate for health care workers in CMS funded facilities, CMS issued state survey guidance for the providers in the 24 that were affected by the decision, including Ohio.

01/20/2022

Ohio's 2021 Legislative Wrap Up & 2022 Preview

January 20, 2022 – It was another hectic year for OSMA's Advocacy team with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and with many major legislative issues in the spotlight. As usual, OSMA was on-hand to discuss topics impacting the practice of medicine with legislators and testify in committee hearings. Here is our summary and preview of what's in store for 2022...

01/14/2022

Federal Vaccine Mandate Update

January 14, 2022 – Based on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, physicians and all health care workers at facilities that are subject to the Medicare and Medicaid Conditions of Participation must be vaccinated unless a medical or religious exemption applies. Physician offices are not subject to this mandate.

01/13/2022

April 8th OSMA Education Symposium – Registration is open!

January 13, 2022 – We're excited to see everyone for the 2022 OSMA Education Symposium at our new event location! Join us as we help you navigate the future of healthcare...

01/04/2022

Federal Vaccine Mandates Update – How is your practice impacted?

January 4, 2022 – The US Supreme Court has announced it will hear arguments on Friday, January 7, on whether two separately-issued vaccine mandates may go into effect. One is the CMS mandate that applies to staff working at CMS-certified facilities such as hospitals, and the other is the OSHA vaccine and testing mandate that applies to all employers with more than 100 employees.

01/03/2022

Your Well-being Checkup And Referral Engagement Service

January 3, 2022 – We're excited to officially introduce OSMA CARES—our free, simple and anonymous tool to help physicians and all Ohio-licensed health care providers check up on their mental and emotional health.

12/20/2021

Member Spotlight: A Q&A with Jeffrey R. Leipzig, MD

December 20, 2021 – OSMA member leaders work tirelessly on behalf of our members to ensure OSMA is meeting the needs of physicians and responding to the ever-changing healthcare landscape. Meet. Dr. Leipzig.

12/19/2021

New Audio-Only Telemedicine Billing Modifier

December 19, 2021 – The AMA recently released the following information regarding Modifier 93—established for audio-only telemedicine services and effective January 1, 2021.

12/16/2021

Telehealth Legislation Passes Ohio Legislature

December 16, 2021 – Telehealth rules relaxed by the state Medical Board during the pandemic are becoming permanent. Governor DeWine is expected to sign House Bill 122 into law later this month, and the legislation will become effective 90 days after it is signed.

12/15/2021

Ohio Anti-Vaccine Mandate Legislation Update

December 15, 2021 – OSMA last updated members on HB 218 when it passed in the House in November. Since that point, your OSMA advocacy team has continued to help lead the coalition against the bill, which is comprised of over 100 organizations in business, manufacturing, education and health care, representing over a million Ohioans. 

12/09/2021

Economic Impact of COVID on Medicare Physician Spending

December 9, 2021 – The impact throughout the U.S. was dramatic—with total payments to physicians decreasing by almost 14%.

12/02/2021

Vaccine Mandate Legal Challenges

December 2, 2021 – Two federal rules mandating Covid vaccines are being challenged in federal courts. One rule was issued by CMS and one was issued by OSHA.

12/01/2021

Over $400 million in Additional Federal Funding Allotted for Ohio Physicians & Healthcare Facilities

December 1, 2021 – Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services made the following announcement regarding new funding for rural healthcare providers impacted by the pandemic.

11/22/2021

Council Spotlight: A Q&A with John R. Corker, MD, FACEP

November 22, 2021 – Over the past year, the role of OSMA Council members has become even more important. Get to know your leaders.

11/21/2021

Partnering to Improve Diabetes Care

November 21, 2021 – Health care providers have a new tool to support caring for patients with diabetes—a collaborative resource webpage has been developed.

11/19/2021

Ohio House Passes Legislation Restricting Vaccine Mandates

November 19, 2021 - Lawmakers in the Ohio House have stripped language out of House Bill 218, and inserted anti-vaccine mandate provisions actively opposed by OSMA from House Bill 435.

11/18/2021

Telemedicine Update

November 18, 2021 - The Ohio Legislature continues to consider House Bill 122. The bill includes provisions that would make many of the telehealth rule changes, which were enacted due to the pandemic, permanent. Also, a new FAQ is now available.

11/10/2021

U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on Threat of Healthcare Misinformation

November 10, 2021 - During the pandemic, OSMA members have been asking for resources available to counter misinformation their patients are receiving regarding treatments, outcomes, vaccination and other topics. This week the U.S Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, provided a comprehensive report and resources for physicians to use to address the challenge moving forward.

11/09/2021

Interoperable Telehealth: Patient Safety Considerations

November 9, 2021 - Our medical malpractice partner, TDC, discusses safety considerations as efforts to connect patients and providers through telehealth have accelerated, and the exchange of information has become increasingly important.

11/04/2021

CMS and OSHA Release Rules Related to Employee Vaccine Requirements

November 4, 2021 - The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released its Interim Final Rule (IFR) regarding vaccine requirements for facilities receiving Medicare and Medicaid funds.

11/03/2021

COVID-19 Vaccines Will Soon Be Available to Ohioans Ages 5-11 Years Old

November 3, 2021 - Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granting an emergency use authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 pediatric vaccine formulation, and pending a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ohio Department of Health is announcing that vaccine providers across the state can begin vaccinating children ages 5 to 11 years old as soon as the CDC makes its recommendation.

10/21/2021

Ohio's Vaccination Legislation Summary

October 21, 2021 - OSMA has been on the front lines of the ongoing deliberations at the Statehouse regarding vaccines and employer requirements for vaccinations. Several legislative proposals have been in the spotlight recently that would limit how employers could require vaccinations, both COVID-19-specific and other vaccines.

10/14/2021

Council Spotlight: A Q&A with Gregory Surfield, MD, FACS

October 13, 2021 – Over the past year, the role of OSMA Council members has become even more important. As we welcome a new cohort of Council members, we’d like to spotlight our leaders.

10/07/2021

Provider Relief Fund: Assistance Webinars

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is continuing to hold technical assistance webinars related to the new application cycle.

10/05/2021

Strategies for Effective Patient-Assisted Telehealth Assessments

October 5, 2021 - Physicians who practice telemedicine must carefully consider the components required to complete an effective remote assessment and plan ahead based on their specialty area and the patient’s presenting complaint.

09/27/2021

ODH Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses

September 27, 2021 - The Ohio Department of Health has issued guidance to the more than 3,500 COVID-19 vaccine providers statewide to ensure they have access to the latest information on administering booster doses of the Pfizer/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccines.

09/23/2021

Telehealth Update

September 23, 2021 - The practice of telehealth has exploded over the past year in COVID, providing physicians with different options for safely treating patients when the patient is unable to come to the office.

09/21/2021

Update on the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

September 21, 2021 – Join Pfizer leaders on October 1 at 2PM – 3PM (EST) for an update on the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

09/16/2021

Federal Vaccine Requirements for Healthcare Settings

September 16, 2021 - The Biden administration has announced a series of initiatives related to requiring the COVID-19 vaccination for all employees of certain businesses. There appear to be two new regulations that might impact the employees in your healthcare setting.

09/14/2021

New Provider Relief Funding Available

September 14, 2021 - the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is announcing $25.5 billion in new funding for health care providers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The application will open on September 29, 2021.

09/07/2021

Council Spotlight: A Q&A with Michelle Knopp, MD

September 7, 2021 – Over the past year, the role of OSMA Council members has become even more important. As we welcome a new cohort of Council members, we’d like to spotlight our leaders.

09/06/2021

Ohio Medicaid Announces Go-Live for Next Generation Managed Care 

September 6, 2021 – Ohio Medicaid announced that July 1, 2022 is the projected date on which managed care members will begin receiving services from one of the seven next generation managed care plans, including the Single Pharmacy Benefit Manager (SPBM), Provider Network Management (PNM) module, Centralized Credentialing, and Fiscal Intermediary.

09/01/2021

OSMA’s Statement on Prescribing Ivermectin to Treat COVID-19

September 1, 2021 - The Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) announces today its support of the joint statement by the American Medical Association (AMA), American Pharmacists Association, and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists strongly opposing the ordering, prescribing, or dispensing of ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19 outside of a clinical trial.

08/24/2021

Combatting COVID-19 & Vaccine Misinformation

August 24, 2021 - Physician efforts to keep patients properly informed about developments in the pandemic are especially critical now with the ongoing spread of the Delta variant.

08/24/2021

Updated FDA Resources for the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine

August 24, 2021 - The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) granted full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for ages 16 and older. COVID-19 VACCINE PROVIDERS: Please review and share updated FDA resources for the Pfizer vaccine, now known as Comirnaty.

08/24/2021

Council Spotlight: A Q&A with Mary LaPlante, MD, FACOG

August 24, 2021 – Over the past year, the role of OSMA Council members has become even more important. As we welcome a new cohort of Council members, we’d like to spotlight our leaders.

08/19/2021

OSMA Foundation Impact: Well-Being Assessment & Referral Tool

August 19, 2021 - One of our Foundation's new projects in progress is the creation of a personal well-being assessment and referral tool for every doctor and licensed healthcare worker in the state.

08/19/2021

White House Virtual Conversation: Health Systems, Providers, and the COVID-19 Vaccinations Effort

August 19, 2021 - Plan to attend this live discussion with the White House COVID-19 Response Team on Monday, August 23, from 12:00 – 1:00 PM ET.

08/16/2021

OSMA Foundation Impact: Virtual Event Series on Physician Well-Being

August 16, 2021 - Thanks to a grant we received, OSMA conducted a series of physician well-being webinar events late last year. With the stress of the pandemic continuing, these videos are still available for reference.

08/03/2021

Ohio Medicaid Vaccine Incentives Extended

August 3, 2021 - Ohio Medicaid and MyCare Managed Care Plans (MCPs) have extended the $100 provider incentive vaccination administration fee timeframe until September 15, 2021...Learn the details.

08/02/2021

Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Update

August 2, 2021 - OSMA has been working with Blue & Co. to provide our members with the latest information about paying back your Provider Relief Payments (PRF). Some of their team members attended the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) July 20 session on PRF and provided the following highlights...

08/02/2021

Open Notes in Healthcare: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the Cures Act

August 2, 2021 - On April 5, 2021, a requirement of the 21st Century Cures Act went into effect: Patients must be able to access information in their EHRs “without delay.” (This requirement does not apply to paper records.) The Cures Act prohibition against information blocking, often referred to as an “open notes” provision, provides patients with transparency in the outcomes of their healthcare via convenient access to information in their EHR, which can positively or negatively impact the patient-doctor relationship.

07/29/2021

Vaccine Mandate Support & PPE Recommendations for Healthcare Settings

July 29, 2021 - The AMA has joined over fifty other organizations in a joint statement supporting mandatory COVID vaccinations for all healthcare workers. Also, make sure you are up to date on current PPE guidance from the CDC and the state of Ohio.

07/22/2021

Medical Board Clarifies Telemedicine Rules with State Emergency Expiring

July 22, 2021 - Since many of the medical board’s telemedicine rules were halted in early 2020 due to COVID-19, allowing much more leeway in treating patients remotely, OSMA has received many questions from physician offices about the current status of the rules and how the board will handle telemedicine once the pandemic has subsided.

07/13/2021

Statewide COVID-19 Well-Being Survey for Healthcare Professionals

July 13, 2021 - Your input is valued! The Ohio Physicians Health Program (OPHP) is conducting a statewide COVID-19 well-being survey. The purpose of this study is to gather the perspectives of healthcare professionals working across all disciplines, on the types of services needed to support their well-being and the type of infrastructure that needs to be in place so that these services can be easily accessed.

07/07/2021

COVID Updates from OSHA and EEOC

July 7, 2021 - The Occupational Safety & Health Administration issued an emergency temporary standard for occupational exposure to COVID-19. And in May, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released new guidance related to requiring employees with disabilities to receive a vaccination.

07/07/2021

Deferred, Delayed, Disrupted: Mitigating Risks From Care During COVID-19

July 7, 2021 - The pandemic thoroughly disrupted healthcare delivery across the spectrum of healthcare. By mid-2020, more than 40 percent of U.S. adults had delayed medical care or avoided it entirely.

06/10/2021

Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Falsehoods & Supporting Statewide Vaccination Efforts

June 10, 2021 - As Ohio continues efforts to vaccinate as many people as possible against COVID-19, OSMA is proud to support these efforts and ensure member physicians have the information and tools they need to encourage vaccines and be vaccine providers.

06/09/2021

Medical License Renewal Reminder

June 9, 2021 - According to the medical board, almost 4,000 physicians have not yet renewed! If you are one of those physicians, make sure that you renew by the July 1st deadline.

06/03/2021

Helpful Policies Implemented for Ohio Vaccine Providers

June 3, 2021 - The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has announced a number of policy changes that will make it much easier for primary care practices of all sizes to provide the COVID vaccine in their offices.

06/03/2021

White House Vaccine Conversation: Recording Available!

June 3, 2021 - If you missed the White House's vaccine conversation for Ohio primary care providers, a recording is now available. Hear from governor DeWine, surgeon general Murthy, other White House, the CDC and ODH, as well as OSMA President, Dr. Lisa Egbert—who hosted a panel discussion.

06/01/2021

Artificial Intelligence, COVID-19, and the Future of Pandemics

June 1, 2021 - Artificial intelligence (AI) has proven of value in the COVID-19 pandemic and shows promise for mitigating future healthcare crises.

05/26/2021

National Health Care Expenditures, 2019

May 25, 2021 - A new report from the AMA provides a detailed look at the official U.S. health care spending estimates through 2019. We will continue to keep you informed as we get updated spending data for 2020 and into 2021.

05/13/2021

OSMA Supports Governor’s Announcement to Rescind Health Orders

May 13, 2021 – Yesterday, Governor DeWine announced that all health orders (except those related to longterm care and assisted living facilities) will be rescinded on June 2. As we’ve learned more about the science of how this virus works and as more Ohioans have rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated, we’ve made outstanding progress in bringing down the rate of new COVID-19 cases.

05/11/2021

Physician Wellness Coalition Releases New Video Resources

May 11, 2021 – The Coalition is offering a series of free, physician wellness videos certified by the OSMA for AMA PRA Category 1™ credit.

05/05/2021

Telehealth Immersion Program

May 5, 2021 – To help guide the future of how practices use telehealth, OSMA is excited to collaborate with the AMA on this program. By doing so, we hope to provide you access to all the latest resources for best implementing telehealth in your practice now and into the future. Join an introductory session on the program on May 11, 2021, 12–12:45 p.m. EST.

05/05/2021

Medicare Recoupment Reminder—Let Us Know How It's Going!

May 5, 2021 – CMS recently began automatic recoupment of COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payments. OSMA and AMA are very interested in feedback about recoupment of the Medicare advance payments.

05/05/2021

Malpractice Claims from the COVID-19 Pandemic

May 5, 2021 - The pandemic has raised pressing questions around preventive measures, vaccines, and safe treatment, but it has also obscured one key lingering uncertainty for medical professionals: Where are all the medical malpractice claims?that can help mitigate risks.

04/29/2021

Discussing the COVID Vaccine with Patients: Campaigns Physicians Can Use

April 29, 2021 – This is a big moment in time for vaccines. As we honor World Immunization Week the last week of April, it seems appropriate to give a big thank-you to the many doctors, scientists, immunologists and healthcare professionals who make vaccines possible.

04/15/2021

Ohio to Increase Vaccine Distribution to Physician Practices

April 15, 2021 - OSMA was informed that the Ohio Department of Health is planning to increase distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to physician practices in the next two weeks.

04/06/2021

Telehealth from the Field: Case Study Involving Remote Monitoring Problems

April 6, 2021 - Brought to you by OSMA Preferred Partner, The Doctors Company: Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of remote patient monitoring was expanding. The technologies offer many benefits, but they may also create potential malpractice risks. Consider the following case example and strategies that can help mitigate risks.

03/11/2021

Physician Experts Address Top Questions about COVID-19

March 11, 2021 - Leading pandemic voices, Dr. Bob Wachter and Dr. Ashish Jha, share views at virtual TDC board meeting.

03/10/2021

Medicare Revenue Down 19% over First Half of 2020

March 10, 2021 - The economic impact of COVID-19 on health care continues to reveal itself through reductions in patient volume and revenue and in higher practice costs. As the pandemic stretches on, physician practice viability remains under threat.

03/03/2021

Before COVID-19, Outlier Medical Malpractice Verdicts Were Rising—What’s Next?

March 3, 2021 - Brought to you by OSMA Preferred Partner, The Doctors Company: Severity, the average cost of a medical malpractice claim, continues its relentless increase. Though severity has been rising since at least the 1970s, in recent years we have seen a sharp increase in outlier verdicts, which exceed common policy limits and often set records for their venues.

02/23/2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Answers from Virtual Panel of Healthcare Experts

February 23, 2021 - Leading pandemic voices, Dr. Bob Wachter and Dr. Ashish Jha, share perspectives at a virtual meeting hosted by the TDC Group of companies.

02/23/2021

Addressing Physical & Behavioral Health During COVID-19

February 22, 2021 - Brought to you by OSMA Symposium Sponsor, Medical Mutual: ...With increased incidents of mental health concerns due to COVID-19, the mental, as well as physical, health of our Medical Mutual members—your patients—is more important than ever. Here are four focus areas to improve care coordination and reduce hospital readmissions for members with behavioral health concerns.

02/17/2021

OSMA Joins AMA in Urging Congress to Extend the Moratorium on the Medicare Sequester

February 17, 2021 - OSMA recently signed on to a letter from the American Medical Association (AMA) encouraging congressional leadership to take action and pass legislation that would extend the current moratorium on the 2% Medicare payment sequester beyond the expiration date of March 31, 2021.

01/27/2021

Join Chief Medical Advisor, Dr. Fauci, for a Q&A

January 27, 2021 - You're encouraged to attend a Fireside Chat with Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci. Questions will be answered about how the new administration is approaching the COVID-19 crisis. There will also be a moderated Q&A during which time you can ask Dr. Fauci questions through the chat function.

01/26/2021

Tips for Communicating with COVID-19 Vaccine-Hesitant Patients

January 26, 2021 - Physicians should be proactively preparing for the upcoming administration of vaccines to the general population. This includes implementing a plan to initiate effective, informed consent conversations with patients to guide them to an informed decision about the vaccine.

01/23/2021

President Biden's Executive Orders for Handling COVID-19

January 23, 2021 - President Biden has unveiled a significant national strategy for handling COVID-19 and addressing pandemic preparedness generally. The President also took initial steps to immediately implement portions of this strategy, issuing several executive orders and memoranda.