2021-04-21 OMA Agenda - Board of Trustees

to sponsor the companion bill to HB 293 in the Senate. I will be coordinating with OAC on a state action alert to engage OMA Pennsylvania members to urge their state senator and state representative to support these respective bills. During 2020, I arranged and participated in several zoom meetings between Vicki, Verlyn, Ted and myself with key staff in Governor Wolf’s office and the Department of Human Resources to secure a more favorable budget score for the Oberlander legislation – getting the score reduced from $86 million to $8.6 million. Ohio: During November 2020, I coordinated a zoom call between Ohio members of Obesity Care Continuum groups (including Angela Fitch) and State Medical Board of Ohio (SMBO) Policy Committee Chair Dr. Amol Soin that focused on the need for the Board to eliminate its dated prescribing rules for anti-obesity medications (AOMs). These coalition efforts with the SMBO and the Ohio State Medical Association led to a positive discussion surrounding prescribing rules for weight loss drugs during the December 9th SMBO’s monthly meeting. At the time of this report, the SMBO will be evaluating these regulations during its upcoming April 2021 meeting. Virginia: Last year, I helped establish the Virginia STAR working group, which involves numerous advocates from Obesity Care Continuum groups. These efforts include OMA Advocacy Committee members Allan Hardy, Cate Varney and Joynita Nicholson as well as others such as Jennifer Kirby and Sue Wolver. I arranged a January 2019 introductory meeting between these advocates and Gary Johnston, Director of the Virginia Office of Health Benefits to discuss coverage issues within the state employee plan such as limited obesity drug options and egregious bariatric surgery prior authorization requirements. I continue to actively participate in monthly calls of the Virginia STAR working group. Wisconsin: Building on efforts with Wisconsin STARs from Obesity Care Continuum groups such as the WI ASMBS State Chapter and the Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (WAND) to secure obesity drug coverage for the state employee health plan. I have connected OMA Advocacy Committee member Chris Weber with leadership from WI ASMBS and WAND and will be facilitating advocacy efforts for this coalition, which involve communications and outreach to the WI Employee Trust Fund (ETF) Group Insurance Board (GIB). In 2019, this group was able to secure bariatric surgery coverage through the GIB and our current efforts will be to leverage that expanding coverage by urging the GIB to take the next step and now provide obesity drug coverage. We are currently working with Renee Walk – key staff with the GIB to open up a dialogue with GIB members on this issue. Florida: Working with OMA Advocacy Committee members Vicky Blackard and Dr. Abby to work jointly with the ASMBS Florida State Chapter to address barriers to care in Florida state employee coverage. For example, we are working on changing Florida’s Board of Medicine restrictions on pharmacotherapy. Arizona: I will be working with OMA President Craig Primack on avenues to improve access to obesity care in the state. Arkansas: I will be working with OMA Advocacy Committee member Mike McClurkan on avenues to improve access to obesity care in the state. Washington: I will be working with OMA Advocacy Committee member Rick Lindquist on avenues to improve access to obesity care in the state. Colorado: I will be working with OMA Advocacy Committee Chair Carolynn Francavilla and OMA President-Elect Ethan Lazarus on avenues to improve access to obesity care in the state.