Van Vyven Accomplishments for the 122nd General Assembly (1997-1998)

By Dale N. Van Vyven

Bills sponsored and effective; Bills influenced and passed House or effective; Special Recognitions

BILLS SPONSORED

House Bill 242 - protects Ohio's charitable health care assets by assuring that nonprofit entities being purchased by for-profit entities receive full and fair market value for their tax-exempt community assets - effective 5/7/97

House Bill 243 - establishes standards for the use of electronic signatures in the records of health care facilities - effective 5/21/98

House Bill 244 - allows the health commissioner of a city or a general health district to certify to the county auditor for placement on the general tax list and duplicate, as a lien on real property, any unpaid operation permit or inspection fee, and any accrued penalties for late payment of the fee, for a household sewage disposal system. The health commissioner would also have the option of filing a civil action against the owner, leaseholder or assignee of the real property for the collection of the permit fee plus any accrued penalties - effective 9/30/98

House Bill 265/Senate Bill 67 - established uniform licensure for Ohio's managed care organizations and set forth solvency requirements for the five types of health insuring corporations, or HICS, that can be formed, providing increased consumer protection for Ohioans who receive health care coverage through this market - effective 6/4/97

House Bill 361 - dubbed the Provider-Health Plan Partnership Act, implemented industry-wide standards for managed care in an effort to assure continuity of care and a productive working relationship between Ohio's managed health plans and health care providers - effective 10/11/98

House Bill 374 - state implementation of the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act of 1996, commonly referred to as Kassebaum-Kennedy, will allow those who have lost their employer-sponsored health insurance coverage and have no other coverage alternatives available to purchase coverage in the individual market, will prevent those with pre-existing conditions from being refused employer-sponsored group coverage and will guarantee renewability of these policies - effective 6/30/98

House Bill 648 - established needed comprehensive reforms in the disability processes of the five state retirement systems as well as made positive changes in other areas of public pension operations that will assure the continued viability of these plans well into the future - effective 9/16/98

BILLS ASSISTED IN PASSAGE

House Bill 187 (Thomas) - allows physicians to treat intractable pain by administering dangerous drugs in amounts that could appear excessive in comparison to treatment for other conditions, as long as they adhere to the standards, procedures and guidelines established by the State Medical Board. Such physicians could only be disciplined by the Board should they fail to adhere to the requirements of the bill or the rules adopted by the Board - effective 10/14/97

House Bill 470 (Tiberi) - would allow a dental hygienist to provide services in health care facilities without the supervision of a dentist but under the instruction of a dentist, would provide for the continuation of the special needs dental hygiene programs and would allow the Dental Board to adopt rules to allow qualified personnel who have completed certain educational requirements to polish teeth under the supervision of a dentist - pending in Senate Health Committee

Senate Bill 66 (Drake) - permits a pharmacist to manage an individual's drug therapy when a "consult agreement" with the individual's physician is in place, requires that the "samples" often provided by health care professionals be properly labeled and packaged, subjects retail pharmacists to licensing sanctions for waiving their clients' copayments or deductibles, and clarifies and updates the statutes regarding the practice of pharmacy and drugs - effective 7/22/98

Senate Concurrent Resolution 15 (Drake) - encourages the President and Congress to oppose rules developed by HCFA concerning the federal designation of a single organ procurement organization (OPO) in an area to receive all calls of hospital deaths, to oppose rules developed by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would regionalize the system of allocating and distributing livers for transplantation, calls for inclusion of the states in the development of any future rules in these areas and reminds the federal government about our Tenth Amendment rights - effective 5/28/98

Ohio Osteopathic Association - Meritorious Service Award

American College of Emergency Physicians, Ohio Chapter - Legislator of the Year

Ohio Hospice Association - Friend of Life Award

Ohio Pharmacists Association - Distinguished Legislator Award

United Conservatives of Ohio - Watchdog of the Treasury (10th time)