04/29/2024

Celebrating 5 Years of Advocacy Success - Eliminating the PA Formulary

As OAPA avidly pursues our current legislative agenda, it is important to also take a step back and remember how far we've come!

In 2024, the Ohio PA community is celebrating 5 years since the effective date of the PA Bill, also known as Senate Bill 259, which eliminated the PA formulary.

On December 19, 2018, SB259 was signed into law by Governor John Kasich and was then implemented in 2019. Several key advancements in PA practice were achieved by the law, but the most widely impactful was the rescinding of the Ohio PA Formulary, an antiquated list of drugs and procedures that limited PA practice.

OAPA and its member-volunteers worked hard to advocate for the passage of this legislation, including proponent testimony provided by Government Affairs Committee Chair, Josanne Pagel. This action and change in the law resulted in the elimination of a major barrier to PA practice.

As we reflect on 5 years since this advancement, we checked in with some of our members to find out how the end of the formulary impacted their practice:

Randy Whitlock, PA-C, touched on the fact that legislative barriers prevent PAs from practicing to the fullest extent of their education, summing it up well by saying "I can actually prescribe as I was trained 26 years ago to benefit patients!"

For Cindy Lord, PA-C, passage of SB259 made a big difference both in practice and in attracting and retaining PA talent in Ohio. "As a PA educator, I saw PA students who wanted to stay in Ohio to practice after graduation, but the presence of the PA formulary was a deterrent and seen as a limitation to their ability to practice as they could in other states. As a medical provider working in a free clinic, the cost of medication is a significant consideration. The added challenges that the formulary presented made it even more difficult to provide affordable and equitable care to my patients. Removing the PA formulary has moved PAs one step closer to being able to practice at the top of our license so that we can work to expand access to care to all Ohioans."

And Andrea Sheibley, PA-C, highlighted how SB259 helped to chip away at the many hurdles PAs face in providing patient care, stating "Each step we have made and continue to make to remove barriers to our practice, including removing the PA Formulary, allows us to provide better care to patients and advance our profession. Since removal of the PA formulary, I have seen PAs, including myself, gain more autonomy and obtain more opportunities to advance in the health care community.”

OAPA appreciates Chair Pagel, the OAPA board leadership, and all members who gave of their time to advance the legislation or contribute to the OAPA Legislative Fund to support the lobbying effort. We are proud of this past advocacy achievement and we continue to pursue new legislation and opportunities to remove barriers to PA practice.

OAPA is the ONLY organization tirelessly advocating in the Statehouse for all Ohio PAs. We are your legislative advocate, working to eliminate barriers so that you may practice in Ohio at the top of your license.

To learn more about our advocacy efforts, please visit the advocacy area of our website.

To financially support our advocacy efforts, please make a contribution in any amount to our Legislative Fund.