Healthcare

To amend sections 1751.72, 3923.041, and 5160.34 of the Revised Code regarding health insurance and Medicaid program prior authorization requirements.

HB 485, titled the Baby Olivia Act, requires Ohio public schools to include human growth and development instruction within health education courses. This policy change directly affects K-12 students and school districts by mandating specific curriculum content. The bill amends several education-related sections of the Revised Code and adds new Section 3313.6034 to implement this requirement. The key provision is the inclusion of age-appropriate human growth and development education as part of standard health curriculum.

HB 324, the Patient Protection Act, prohibits pharmacies from selling certain drugs known to cause severe adverse effects and establishes new safety requirements for doctors who prescribe those drugs. It directly affects prescribers (like physicians) and pharmacies by restricting the sale of high-risk medications and mandating specific safeguards before they can be prescribed or dispensed. The bill creates concrete policy changes by banning these specific drug sales and requiring prescribers to follow defined safety protocols to protect patients. The law is named the Patient Protection Act as specified in the bill's title.

SB 100 would create a new exemption in Ohio's Revised Code (section 3901.96) for nonprofit agricultural membership organizations, excluding them from certain insurance regulations. This bill directly affects nonprofit groups that represent farmers or agricultural interests, such as cooperatives or industry associations. The key provision removes these specific organizations from requirements like licensing or consumer protection rules that typically apply to insurance providers. This change is purely procedural, altering regulatory scope without creating new benefits or costs for the state.