(Submitted by State Rep Theresa Gavarone)
State Rep. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) has introduced legislation that will give Ohioans across the state more healthcare providers from which to choose for primary care services.
House Bill 726, also known as the “Better Access, Better Care Act,” will modernize Ohio law to allow Advanced Practice Registered Nurses to practice independently and to the full extent of their education, training, and certification, according to Gavarone. Current law requires APRNs to have a supervisory agreement with a physician in order to provide primary care services.
“Improving access to healthcare for people in Wood County and the state has always been a priority of mine,” Gavarone said. “The reality is that Ohio has one of the oldest physician populations—sixth—in the country and ranks near the middle or worse in retaining new physicians who have completed their education in the state. Enacting the ‘Better Access, Better Care Act’ is one step we should take to ensure that the physician shortage doesn’t diminish access and quality of healthcare services to Ohioans.”
According to Gavarone, by eliminating this unnecessary requirement, more qualified healthcare providers will be able to practice in Ohio to offer certain services, addressing the decline of primary care physicians in the state. This reform will not only give Ohioans a safe and accessible option to high-quality care, but it will also help serve vulnerable populations in medically underserved areas, she said.
House Bill 726 now awaits a committee designation.
