08/01/2022

National Immunization Awareness: Hear from Ohio Pediatricians

August 1, 2022 – August is National Immunization Awareness Month, so we spoke with three Ohio pediatricians to get their thoughts on childhood vaccines and answers to some of the most common vaccine questions.

08/01/2022

Your Well-being Checkup And Referral Engagement Service

August 1, 2022 – The need for well-being support has never been higher, and the OSMA Foundation is supporting Ohio's healthcare workforce with a way to measure factors like personal anxiety, depression and burnout and connect with credible resources who can help.

06/23/2022

Well-Being CARE Service is Helping Healthcare Workers Across Ohio

June 23, 2022 – One month after its official launch, the Well-Being CARE Service is quickly becoming known and used by healthcare workers across Ohio—providing assessment and referrals to critical mental health services.

06/23/2022

AMA Celebrates 175 Years

June 22, 2022 – Our national partner contributing to OSMA's success, the American Medical Association (AMA), marked their 175th anniversary of its founding in May 2022.

06/13/2022

Amicus Brief Filed on Federal PREP Act

June 13, 2022 – OSMA, along with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Medical Association (AMA), is participating in an amicus brief in the federal Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on the question of whether the federal Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (the PREP Act) provides immunity from liability in a wrongful death claim against an assisted living facility for failing to take appropriate countermeasures during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

06/02/2022

COVID-19 Treatments & Testing: What to Know

June 2, 2022 – A variety of resources and education are available at the state and federal level to help assess the current science, understand the availability and access to testing and treatments, and learn how to better educate patients.

06/02/2022

OSMA Joins National Coalition to Develop Characteristics of a Rational Medicare Physician Payment System

June 2, 2022 – More than 120 other medical organizations have also endorsed a framework for Medicare payment reform. This is an early step in the efforts to develop consensus on policy recommendations that will reshape the payment system to work better for patients and physicians—and hopefully end the annual advocacy exercise of stopping impending payment cuts.

05/23/2022

Ohio’s Practice Transformation Initiative: Impact Highlights!

May 23, 2022 – Physician well-being is a key priority for OSMA, and we have been proud to administer the AMA Practice Transformation Initiative since 2020 with two of our member practices. We recently connected with Dr. Maria Courser from Mount Carmel Medical Group, and Dr. Chloe Sidley from Emergency Services, Inc., who shared their experiences and how being part of this program is impacting their organization.

05/18/2022

Statewide CARE Service Announced to Support Mental & Emotional Well-Being of Ohio’s Healthcare Workforce

May 18, 2022 – PRESS RELEASE: Ohio State Medical Association announces free, anonymous tool available to all Ohio healthcare workers.

04/21/2022

OSMA Gives Annual Awards

April 21, 2022 – The following individuals were honored at this year’s OSMA Annual Meeting for being the OSMA Physician Advocate of the Year, OSMAPAC Donor of the Year, and Voice of Medicine.

04/13/2022

Last Chance to File Your Provider Relief Report

April 12, 2022 – The OSMA received the following communication from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. If you received provider relief payments from HHS during the pandemic and have yet to submit the required reports, please review and take action now. The final deadline is April 22.

04/05/2022

Physician Guide for Keeping Your Practice Open

April 5, 2022 – The American Medical Association (AMA) is excited to announce the release of one of our most valuable private practice resources, the revised Physician Guide for Keeping Your Practice Open, which includes updated information to help physicians implement policies around staff and patient vaccines, as well as advice to address staff burnout and workforce shortages.

04/05/2022

COVID-19 Vaccine Booster: Communications Toolkit Now Available from ODH

April 5, 2022 – The CDC announced that certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 who received an initial booster dose at least 4 months ago are now eligible for another mRNA booster to increase their protection against severe disease from COVID-19. The Ohio Department of Health has created a COVID-19 vaccine booster communications tool kit for physician uses.

03/29/2022

National Doctors’ Day: A Letter of Thanks to our Leaders Dr. Armstrong and Dr. Egbert

March 29, 2022 – This year, as we celebrate National Doctors’ Day on March 30, we’d like to take a moment to say a special thank you to Dr. Anthony Armstrong and Dr. Lisa Egbert for their tireless and courageous leadership of OSMA over the past two years.

03/17/2022

Overview of Masking Guidance in Healthcare Facilities

March 17, 2022 – Since the CDC released updated guidance on wearing masks indoors at the end of February, OSMA has received some inquiries from members about recommendations for mask wearing in healthcare settings.

03/10/2022

What is the Lasting Impact of the COVID Pandemic on Healthcare and your Practice?

March 10, 2022 – Dramatic impacts on our healthcare delivery system and every physician practice have occurred during the pandemic. Moving forward, it is important to learn and assess future implications. OSMA is gathering a panel of experts to answer your questions and share their expertise with you on April 8th.

03/10/2022

National Tour Kicks Off to Strengthen Mental Health

March 10, 2022 – Last week, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Becerra announced a national tour to strengthen mental health. As part of this effort, President Biden outlined administration wide strategies to address mental health at every age level and a variety of different communities.

03/01/2022

Ohio Launches Mental Health in the Workplace Toolkit for Employers

March 1, 2022 – Today's workforce is under unique pressure that can lead to anxiety, feelings of instability, withdrawal, and the possible need for counseling and care. Learn about tools available to help employers and individuals.

02/16/2022

Member Spotlight: A Q&A with John A. Bastulli, MD

February 16, 2022 – OSMA leadership works on behalf of our members to ensure OSMA is meeting the needs of physicians and responding to the ever-changing healthcare landscape. Meet councilor at-large and state legislation task-force leader, Dr. Bastulli.

02/03/2022

Key Member Benefits to Support Your Practice

February 3, 2022 – Members: Have you accessed OSMA's resources for 2022? Your membership provides access to several support topics.

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.

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.