ohio medicine sept-oct 08

8/14/2019 Ohio Medicine Sept-Oct 08

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Ohio MedicineO h i o S t a t e M e d i c a l A s s o c i a t i oSeptember / October 2008

www.osma.org (800 )766-6762 em ail: [email protected] g

Jusce O'Coor

Jusce Srao

Taking a

Closer Look at

Ohio's Major Insurers

SpecalOSMAPAC

Eleco Gude

Ohio Supreme Court

Candidates Stratton

and O'ConnorList of Recommended

Candidates

Page 13

Page 3


2/16Ohio Medicine

Ohio Medicine

September/October 2008

ins ide this issue

Ohio Medicine DisclaimerThis publication provides general coverage of its subject area. It

is provided to OSMA members with the understanding that thepublisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or otherprofessional advice or services. If legal advice or other expertassistance is required, the services of a competent professionalshould be sought. The publisher shall not be responsible for anydamages resulting from any error, inaccuracy, or omission containedin this publication. Paid advertisement may or may not imply OSMAendorsement.

Ohio Medicine Copyright Notice 2008 by the Ohio State MedicalAssociation. No part of this publication may be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying, recording, or any information storageand retrieval system, without express written permission from the

publisher.

letter from the president

As physicians, we have sometimes had an uneasy relationship with thenews media. Our issues are complicated, whether the subject is clinical or

reimbursement-related, and we often are anxious about giving up control over hothe issue is reported

However, due in large part to the very complexity of our issues, we need to makemore of an effort to reach the public through the news media. That is what theOSMA did about eight months ago when it decided to assist the Toledo Blade asit gathered information about the impact of medical decision-making by insurers.The OSMA, using a survey developed by the Blade, surveyed you, our members,about this issue.

The Blades eight-month investigation and resulting series, Not what the doctorordered: How health insurance plans shape patient treatment, did a very effecti

job of highlighting the problems that Ohio physicians and their patients face daily

Did we like everything they had to say about physicians? No, but we areaddressing those comments. Overall the series did a great job of illustrating forthe public something that physicians have known for decades: That heavy-handcost control measures by insurers are having a very negative impact on patientcare.

It is good for the public to hear that message from someone other than theirphysician. And it is good for us to remember that in addition to the general publlegislators, policy makers and others who help make decisions about healthinsurance-related issues, also are reached by this message.

I want to thank all the physicians who took the time to complete this survey, aswell as all of those who participated in the Anthem survey. Your data is invaluabas we address the draconian methods of the insurers that compromise our abilityto deliver quality care, and to keep our doors open.

Reminder:Register to vote by Oct. 6.

Warren F. Muth, MD, FACS

President, Ohio State Medical Association

OSMA President Warren F. Muth, MD, FACS

3 Taking a Closer Look: Medical Mutualof Ohio

3 Medical Mutual of Ohio:

Company Overview4 MMOs Customer Service Record

6 MMO's Medical Policies and ReviewProcess

7 MMOs Most Common Denial Reasons:What You Can Do

10 To Contact Medical Mutual of Ohio

12 PC Connection Offers Healthcare-Specific IT Products to OSMA Members

12 Enrollment Now Open for OSMA

Workers Compensation Group RatingProgram

13 OSMAPAC Election Guide 2008


3/16September/October 008

Taking a

Closer Look:

This issue of Ohio Medicine features the second ina series of profiles on the major health insurancecarriers in Ohio.

It is the OSMAs intent that these profiles help educatemembers regarding how the major insurance carriershandle their relationships with physicians and that

they provide points of contact for physician offices aswell as other useful information.

Future editions of Ohio Medicine will contain thesame type of profiles on other key insurers in OhioIt is important to note that the Ohio State MedicaAssociation is not advocating on behalf of theseinsurers, but is simply seeking to provide information

to its members. The OSMA takes its role as physicianadvocate very seriously and continues to work atall levels to assist members who are experiencingproblems with payers.

Medical Mutual of Ohio (MMO) is proud of the fact it is

Ohio home-grown. Founded in 1934, MMO is headquartered inCleveland and is the largest health insurance company based inOhio. The company also has a primary office in Toledo and localprovider contracting representatives and marketing personnel inCincinnati, Columbus and Dayton. All of the companys customerservice representatives are located in Ohio.

Most of MMOs 2,900 staff members are located in Cleveland(1,400 plus) and Toledo (500 plus). The remaining employeesare assigned to the various offices in Ohio, South Carolina andGeorgia. The bulk of MMOs $2 billion in revenue is generated inthe state of Ohio, which is where the majority of its 4.2 millioncustomers reside.

MMO handles traditional lines of insurance, as well as managedcare (SuperMed) and Medicare managed care (Advantage plans).Medical Mutuals SuperMed Plus was the first PPO in the nationto be accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance(NCQA). The companys presence is the most significant in thenorthern end of Ohio since it was created with the merger in 1986of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Northern Ohio (Cleveland-based)and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Northwestern Ohio (Toledo-based).

However, MMO is moving to establish strong ties in central

Ohio. Although traditionally MMO has catered to the small

group market, for several years now it has been in the process

of positioning itself as a player for the lucrative governmencontracts in Ohio.

In addition, in the past three years, Medical Mutual has expandedits scope beyond Ohio, concentrating on the Southeast andthe Midwest regions of the country. MMOs acquisitions in theSoutheast include a PPO in Georgia and an HMO and PPO in SouthCarolina. Its long-range plans include national expansion throughits insurance subsidiary Consumers Life.

Medical Mutuals Chairman, President & CEO is Kent W. Clappwho has been with Medical Mutual and its predecessors since1976. The Chief Medical Officer is Robert E. Rzewnicki, M.D., a

board-certified rheumatologist who has been affiliated with MMOsince 1987. Dr. Rzewnicki has served as the medical director since1993 and is responsible for overseeing the nearly 100 activelypracticing physicians who serve as Medical Mutuals physicianadvisors.

For a list of regional contacts, see the related article on page10. For a much more complete list of toll-free phone numberscategorized by region and subject matter, check on the MedicaMutual website: www.medmutual.com . On the upper bar, clickon Providers, then click on Tools & Resources, then ContactUs.

Medical Mutual of Ohio: Company Overview


4/16Ohio Medicinepaid adver t i sement

Robert D. Francis

Chie Operating Ofcer, The Doctors Company

We fight frivolous claims. We smash

shady litigants. We over-prepare,

and our lawyers do, too. We defendyour good name. We face every

claim like its the heavyweight

championship. We dont give up.

We are not just your insurer. We

are your legal defense army.

We are The Doctors Company.

The Doctors Company built its reputation on the aggressive deense

o our member physicians good names and livelihoods. And we do

it well: Over 80 percent o all malpractice cases against our members

are won without a settlement or trial, and we win 87 percent o the cases

that do go to court. So what do you get or your money? More than a

fghting chance, or starters. To learn more about our medical professional

liability program, call our Central Regional Ofce at (800) 666-6442 or

visit us at www.thedoctors.com.

_ i i i i

Health plan customer service is typically a nightmare forphysician offices, but MMO is seeking to make a namefor itself in this area.

As a result, MMO promises to pick up the calls cominginto the Provider Inquiry Unit within seconds and alsopromises that its staff will understand the issues beingraised by the practices and be able to respond to themin a professional manner. Unlike a number of otherinsurers, MMO does not outsource its customer service

to another country.

Its goal, MMO says, is to address any concerns oninitial calls to the Provider Inquiry Unit. MMOs customerservice representatives do not transfer calls or referphysicians or their staff to other phone numbers.

This approach must be making some difference inphysician opinion. Of all the calls coming into theOSMA regarding plan customer service, MMO receivesby far the fewest complaints.

MMO contact information is listed elsewhere in this

issue.

MMOs Customer Service Record

a closer look



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6/16Ohio Medicine

It is important that practices make themselves aware of relevantmedical policies to ensure timely reimbursement. While no onepractice will be able to keep track of all the medical policies of all theplans they participate in, most insurers, including Medical Mutual ofOhio (MMO), offer web access to their policies.

Medical Mutuals extensive Corporate Medical Policies (CMP) addressmedical necessity, technology assessment and a long list of otherissues. There are nearly 200 procedures, therapies, technologiesor devices currently covered in MMOs Corporate Medical Policies.These include such diverse topics as bariatric surgery, facial musclesurgery, carotid artery stenting, and intrauterine fetal surgery. MMOspolicy descriptions also include specific clinical criteria that must bemet for services to be considered medically necessary. MMO utilizesa variety of physicians with specialized qualifications to consult onthe development of a medical policy in emerging specialty areas.

The Corporate Medical Policies are accessible online in the Providersection of medmutual.com under the Tools and Resources subsection.Medical Policies are organized by subject matter and are cross-referenced by specific CPT codes. The list includes both the initialpolicy development date and the most recent review date. Eachindividual policy includes the pertinent CPT codes, a review of theprocedure/protocol/technology and the clinical criteria for medicalnecessity.

Investigational Services

The Company develops CMPs for many emerging pharmaceuticals,

medical devices, medical/surgical/behavioral health services andprocedures. This process determines whether the subject of reviewmedically necessary or investigational.

MMO indicates that the important elements that are considered byits physician consultants when recommending 'medically necessary'or 'investigational' status include, but are not limited to:

Is there approval by the appropriate governing body?

How extensive and how sound are the supporting clinicalscientific data?

Do these data demonstrate inferiority, equivalence orsuperiority to currently accepted, standard approaches?

Has the subject of review become widely used by communitypractitioners?

Is there a recommendation by a nationally recognizedauthoritative body or expert panel?

There is a separate section on MMO's website that contains CMPsresulting in an 'investigational' determination.

Special Circumstances

When a case has been denied as investigational and the membe

has been diagnosed with a terminal condition, the next step is askinMMO for an independent three physician panel review.

According to MMO each reviewer will consider the followininformation in conducting the review:

All information submitted by Medical Mutual, the insuredphysicians and healthcare providers, including but nolimited to the insureds medical records and the policiesguidelines, criteria and clinical rationale used by MedicaMutual to reach its initial coverage decision.

Relevant current peer-reviewed scientific literature

published medical expert opinions and clinical guidelineestablished by specialty societies.

Findings, studies, research and other relevant documents ogovernment agencies.

Safety, efficacy, appropriateness and cost effectiveness.

Medical Necessity Review Process

Medical Mutual refers to the process of determining medicanecessity as Prior Approval. MMO indicates that its decisions arbased upon the facts of each situation presented using Corporat

Medical Policies and Interqual criteria as guidelines.

When a request for prior approval is received, it is initially revieweby a licensed nurse. The nurse reviewer has the ability to approve thservice, but does not have the authority to issue a denial of serviceIf the MMO nurse determines that its medical necessity guidelineare not met, he or she forwards the case to one of Medical Mutualphysician advisors.

These physician advisers are not employees of Medical Mutual. Theare practicing physicians representing a variety of specialties. Moreviews are conducted by a single physician reviewer. The requestinphysician and the covered person are notified by MMO of the review

determination. If the service is not approved, a letter will be seexplaining the denial reason(s), the specific criteria used, and howto reach a physician adviser to discuss the reconsideration of thinitial denial decision, as well as information on appeal rights anprocess.

The attending physician may contact MMO within 10 days to ask foreconsideration, which is then carried out via peer-to-peer interactiowith a physician advisor. All reconsideration requests are handlethrough MMOs Care Management Department at (800)338-2873MMO recommends that when calling for reconsideration, physicianshould use the priority option listed in the phone menu. If thphysician is not satisfied with the outcome of the reconsideration, a

appeal may be filed as described in the initial denial letter.

MMO's Medical Policies and Review Process

a closer look



paid advertisement

Listed below are Medical Mutual of Ohios top five reasons for

reimbursement denials, according to information provided to theOSMA by MMO. They are listed in descending order, beginningwith the most frequent reason for denial. The OSMA is seekingthis type of information from all major Ohio insurers in order tohelp practices become more cognizant of denial reasons. Beloweach denial is practical information regarding the steps you cantake to avoid these denials.

Clam s a duplcae Many practices when they are not certainif MMO has received their claim, resubmit it. Once the originalclaim gets adjudicated then any duplicates will be denied. Whilesome practices use resubmission as a strategy to make sure allclaims are received by MMO, there is a better and cheaper way

to achieve this.

What to do: Remember that when you submit a claim it goesfrom your practice management system to your clearinghouse,and then from your clearinghouse to Emdeon, which servesas MMOs clearinghouse, and then on to MMO. The claimsubmission pipeline could break down anywhere along the way.What is important to you is whether MMO has received it and isgoing to pay it. If you file your claims electronically, you shouldreview the claims received report sent from Emdeon to yourclearinghouse vendor, as this report will advise you if the claimwas received by MMO. If the report indicates that the claim was

received by MMO, use Emdeon Office or contact MMOs ProviderInquiry Unit at (800) 362-1279 to check claim status.

If you suspect that MMO is not receiving your claims despite whatthe claims received report indicates, contact your clearinghouseto verify the reports accuracy. If you require further assistance,contact Emdeon to resolve the issue. If Emdeon cannot resolvethe issue to your satisfaction, contact the Provider Inquiry Unitor your local MMO contracting representative. This saves youany additional claim submission fees (for example, from yourclearinghouse) and saves staff time having to account for deniedduplicate claims.

Finally, if you have reason to believe that any payers denials mayconstitute a pattern of practice by the company, please contactthe OSMAs payer relations staff. Remember, you would need tohave solid documentation to support this assertion, as this is avery serious charge that insurance companies take pains to guardagainst.

Clam wll o be processed ul formao regardg hepaes reame hsor s receved In other words, MMOhas sent a request for additional information regarding a patients

medical history and will not process this claim until it receives the

requested information. The information could be requested from

either the patient or the medical practice.

What to do: If MMO has requested medical history informationfrom your practice, it is important to return the completedinformation as quickly as possible. This clears the way for you tosubmit claims on behalf of this patient. The OSMAs position onthis type of denial is that this is an issue between the patient andthe insurance company and physician claims should not be heldup as a result. The OSMA is currently discussing our position withpayer representatives.

A Explaao of Medcal Beefs (EOMB) s eeded order for secodar beefs o be cosdered This deniahappens often when Medicare is the primary payer and MMOis the secondary payer. The practice simultaneously sends aclaim to Medicare and MMO. MMO will deny the claim becausethe primary payer has not processed its portion and the propecrossover of the claim has not taken place.

MMOs Most Common Denial Reasons:What You Can Do

continued on page 8


8/16Ohio Medicine


What to do: This is one of the easier fixes. If you file the claimwith Medicare and include all of the proper crossover informationfor MMO as the secondary payer, then all you have to do is wait

for Palmetto (Medicare) to process the claim. After Palmettoprocesses the claim , it will automatically be sent to MMO forprocessing and you should receive your secondary payment. If youtry to file the secondary claim directly with MMO and it does nothave the associated EOMB from Palmetto, then MMO will denythe claim. If you havent received payment on the secondary claim30 days after you receive the EOMB from the primary payer, thenits time to check into the status of the claim.

Pae o elgble This type of denial is becoming morefrequent among all insurance companies. As more Americans lose

their health insurance, patients may knowingly or unknowinglypresent an outdated insurance card to the practice. The problemis that if you assume that the patient has coverage and you billthat insurance company, it may take you 30 days or more to findout from the insurance company that the patient does not havecoverage. A month later, its much harder to collect your chargesfrom the patient.

What to do: In todays business environment, you must knowhow you are going to receive payment for the service before youprovide the service. When the patient hands you an insurance cardat check-in, you need to verify that the patient does indeed have

coverage. If the patient does not have the necessary coverage,then its time to have a conversation with the patient about howthey are going to pay for the service. For MMO patients, you cancheck eligibility using Emdeon Office, aservice available to all MMO networkphysicians. If you wish to use EmdeonOffice for Medical Mutual informationonly, a no-cost solution is available toMedical Mutuals Network physicians.Visit the Provider section of MedMutual.com for more details. To use EmdeonOffice as all-payer solution, you canregister through MMOs web site or call(877) 469-3263. Additionally, MMOsVoiceConnect (Voice Response Unit) isavailable 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek at (800) 362-1279. During regularbusiness hours, representatives in theProvider Inquiry Unit are also availableto speak with physicians.

Addoal formao s eeded o he clam In thesecases, vital information was omitted on the submitted claimThe most common pieces of information missing from a claim

receiving a denial of this kind are: 1) date of accident; 2) date ofmedical emergency; 3) date of onset.

What to do: The physician is advised to submit a corrected claimwith the missing information. If the physician needs guidanceas to what information is missing, service representatives atMMOs Provider Inquiry Unit are available at (800) 362-1279during normal business hours. Additionally, MMO encouragephysicians to reference the Claims Submission section of theProfessional Provider Manual (PPM). MMOs PPM, with fulkeyword search capability, is available online in the Providesection of MedMutual.com under Tools and Resources.

The denial reasons listed above occur when a claim cannot beadjudicated. When payment is denied because the patient doesnot have a covered benefit for the service provided, the claimwas adjudicated by MMO but your Notice of Payment will adviseyou that MMO is not responsible for the reimbursement of thoseservices and the money owed will show as patient liability. Thishighlights the importance of verifying benefits prior to providingservice. The patient may have a MMO insurance package, but theservice or procedure that you are about to provide might not becovered by the policy. Check the patients coverage using Emdeon

Office or use MMOs VoiceConnect (Voice Response Unit) at (800362-1279.

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a closer look




On June 20, 2005 we bought

Medical Protective, a 107year-old

medicalmalpractice insurerbased in

FortWayne.Malpracticeinsuranceis

toughtounderwriteandhasprovedto

beagraveyardformanyinsurers.As

partofBerkshire,MedicalProtective

has nancial strengthfar exceeding

that of its competitors, a quality

assuring healthcareproviders that

long-to-settle claimswillnot endup

back ontheir doorstepbecausetheir

insurerfailed.

fromWarrenBuffettsLetterto

Shareholders,February28,2006

Wereproudtohave

MedicalProtectiveaspart

oftheBerkshirefamily.

fromWarrenBuffett,

May30,2006

WewantMedicalProtectivetocontinuetobethecompanythatthinkslikeadoctorandbehaveswiththesameintegrityandindividualcareasadoctor.

fromWarrenBuffett,April26,2006


10/16Ohio Medicine0

paid adver t i sementpa id adver t i sement

Professional Contracting Phone Numbers

South (Cincinnati)

800/589-2583 or 513/684-8140Counties:Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Hamilton,Pike, Ross, Scioto

Northeast (Cleveland)800/625-2583 or 216/687-6064Counties:Ashtabula, Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana,Cuyahoga, Geauga, Guernsey, Harrison, Holmes,Jefferson, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage,Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Wayne

South (Columbus)800/235-4026 or 614/932-7270Counties:Athens, Coshocton, Delaware,Fairfield,Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Knox, Lawrence,Licking, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Morrow,Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Vinton, Washington

South (Dayton)800/422-8339 or 937/898-3350Counties:Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Darke,Fayette, Greene, Hardin, Highland, Madison, Miami,Montgomery, Pickaway, Preble, Shelby, Union, Warren

Northwest (Toledo)888/258-3482 or 419/473-7455Counties:Allen, Ashland, Auglaize, Crawford,Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Huron, Logan,Lucas, Mercer, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland,Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams, Wood,Wyandot

Provider InquiryBenefit, Eligibility, Claim Status Inquiry for all PPO,POS and HMO products

Voice Connect: 800/362-1279

Care ManagementUtilization Management Inpatient Prior ApprovalCleveland:800/258-2873Utilization Management Inpatient Prior Approval/Toledo:800/338-4114

Behavioral Health Utilization Management/Case Management Prior Approval800/258-3186

Home Health/Skilled Nursing Prior Approval800/258-2873 or 800/338-4114

MRI/MRA/PET Prior Approval800/258-2873 or 800/338-4114

Corporate Medical Policy for Services/Procedures/DME Requiring Prior ApprovalCleveland Case Management: 800/258-3175

Clinical Quality Improvement Department800/586-4523

Workers CompensationCareWorks Customer Service: 888/627-7586

BWC Certification Update: 800/477-2292

BWC Provider Access Line: 800/644-6292CareWorks (C-9 Referral)(Fax request for authorizations [C-0 forms])

CareWorks FROI (First Report of Injury)888/627-6586

OthersCoordination of Benefits800/782-5869 or 216/687-7630

Electronic Claims: 800/321-7223

Subrogation: 800/442-2911

Emdeon (to register):877/469-3263

Medical Mutual of Ohio has provider contractingoffices throughout the state. The state is dividedinto three main geographic regions: NortheastNorthwest, and South; with local providecontracting representatives living and working inthe same communities as the providers they serve.

4150 Indianola Avenue

Columbus, Ohio 43214

Mission FocusQuality AssuranceTeam Environment

Contact: Peter LaBianca, Director of Workforce Development(888) 884-3101 [email protected]

Community Health Centers

Medical Directors

Leaders Needed

www.ohiochc.org

Your patients trustyour expertise.You can trust ours.

At Banc of America Practice Solutions, you can rely on our

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Call 1.800.491.3634 to learn more.Please mention Priority Code 4N4H7. Or visit us online at

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To Contact Medical Mutual of Ohio

a closer look




Go on about your business, Doctor.

Were watching out for you.

We know that choosing a malpractice insuranceprovider is a matter o trust. A matter o comort.

A matter o nding a company you can count on toprovide the coverage, the service, the peace o mind.

Proessional Solutions Insurance Company ofers theprotection you need to concentrate on your practice.Proessional Solutions has earned an A (Excellent)rating rom A.M. Best or our nancial stability and

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The Ohio State Medical Association ispleased to announce its new partnership

with PC Connection, a leading informationtechnology solutions provider offeringmore than 150,000 brand name healthcareand IT products. Through the partnership,OSMA members have access to specialpricing on notebook and desktopcomputers and related peripherals,software, and networking products andaccessories.

OSMA is very excited to offer this typeof program to our members, said DaveOwens, OSMA Senior Director of the

Membership Group and Chief MarketingOfficer. We researched several differentcompanies and found that PC Connectiontruly understands the healthcare ITneeds of physician practices. As anadded benefit, its distribution center isconveniently located in Wilmington, Ohio,offering our members guaranteed next-day delivery.

Members also have access to Health-Connection, an initiative of PC Connection,

which focuses solely on healthcare-specific IT products. HealthConnectionhelps physician practices address fivekey elements necessary to improveworkflow efficiency and quality of care:infrastructure, mobility, point of care,document management, and compliance.

PC Connection was founded in 1982and is a leading information technologyprovider to businesses, governmentagencies, educational institutions, andconsumers. PC Connection serves its

customers through highly-trained accountmanagers, websites and specialized ITproduct catalogs.

For more information, please visit theOSMA website at www.osma.org orcontact Maureen Kraft at (800) 766-6762or [email protected].

PC Connection Offers Healthcare-Specific

IT Products to OSMA MembersEnrollment Now Open

for OSMA Workers

Compensation Group

Rating Program

Enrollment is now open for the 2009 OSMAWorkers Compensation Group RatingProgram, the largest physician-only pooin the state. By participating in OSMAprogram, members can save up to 77%on workers compensation premiumswhich is the highest discount availableLast year, OSMAs program was able tosave participants more than $2 million inpremiums to the BWC.

To receive a no obligation evaluation andquote, go to www.osma.org and click 2009OSMA BWC Group Rating Program undethe Hot Topics section. If you have questionabout the program or membership, pleasecall Cindy Wolfe at the OSMA at (800) 7666762 or email at [email protected].

practice services



Election Guide 2008

OSMAPAC

November 4, 2008

Undecided about how you are going to vote in the November elections? Included in this issue is the Ohio State Medical AssociationPolitical Action Committee (OSMAPAC) 2008 Election Guide, which includes its voting recommendations regarding the candidates thatbest reflect the concerns of the medical community and issues of concern to physicians and their patients. See below for OSMAPACsrecommendations on specific races, as well as important information on how to vote early.

Ohio Supreme Court

Jusce Evel Ludberg Srao

Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, an incumbent member of theOhio Supreme Court with almost 20 years of experience on thebench, is seeking to retain her position on the Court. Strattonwas appointed as Justice in 1996 and was elected to a secondterm in 2002. This is the second time OSMAPAC has endorsed

her candidacy, because Stratton remains balanced and impartialin her approach to cases before the Court. She has demonstrateda commitment to judicial restraint, adhering to the philosophythat the Courts job is to interpret law, not re-write it. OSMAPACstrongly endorses her candidacy.

Jusce Mauree OCoor

Justice Maureen OConnor was endorsed by OSMAPAC in 2002during her first run for the Ohio Supreme Court. OConnor has hada long career in public service, serving as a prosecuting attorneyjudge, and Lieutenant Governor. With more than 20 years ofexperience on the bench, she has proven to be a fair and objective

Justice. She shares a strong belief in judicial restraint, believingthat the Courts role does not expand beyond interpretation of thelaw. OSMAPAC strongly endorses Justice OConnor for re-electionto the Ohio Supreme Court.

The Ohio Supreme Court elections remain a top priority for Ohio physicians. The OSMA and its members worked tirelessly to pass tort

reform and to elect Supreme Court candidates who have a respect for the separation of powers between the judicial and legislativebranches of government. We have seen the fruits of our labor: the medical liability marketplace in Ohio is stabilizing, and the SupremeCourt is now comprised of a majority of Justices who believe in interpreting the law rather than legislating from the bench. Neverthelesswe cannot become complacent. Ohio physicians have come too far to relinquish the Court to activist judges who dont believe in judiciarestraint.

Absentee (Early) Voting

In order to make voting more convenient and to help voters avoid long lines on Election Day, Ohio now has what is known as no excuseabsentee voting. This means that any qualified Ohio voter can obtain an absentee ballot without stating a reason.

Absentee voting begins 35 days before the general election (September 30, 2008) and ends the day before the election (November 32008). Once absentee ballots are available for voting, any voter may receive and return an absentee ballot in person at the county boardof elections office, or receive and return the absentee ballot by U.S. Mail.

Absentee ballots must be applied for in writing. If you are properly registered to vote, you must submit your written request to the boardof elections of the county in which your voting residence is located. You may, but are not required to, use an application form prescribedby the Ohio Secretary of State. That form can be found at www.sos.state.oh.us.


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U.S. House of RepreseavesEndorsements

DiStRiCt EnDORSED CAnDiDAtE City

1* Neutral Cincinnati

2 Victoria Wulsin Cincinnati

3 Michael Turner Dayton4 Jim Jordan Urbana

5 Robert Latta Bowling Green

6 Charlie Wilson St. Clairsville

7 Steve Austria Springfield

8* Neutral West Chester

9 Marcy Kaptur Toledo

10 Jim Trakas Cleveland

11** Shaker Heights

12 Patrick Tiberi Columbus

13 Betty Sutton Akron

14 Steven LaTourette Painesville

15 Steve Stivers Columbus

16* Neutral Canton

17 Tim Ryan Youngstown

18 Zack Space Dover

Oho House of RepreseavesEndorsements


1 Linda Bolon Columbiana2 Kris Jordan Powell

3 Ron Amstutz Wooster

4 Matt Huffman Lima

5 Gerald Stebelton Lancaster

6 Randy Gardner Bowling Green

7 Kenny Yuko Euclid

8 Armond Budish Beachwood

9* Neutral Cleveland Heights

10* Neutral Cleveland

11 Sandra Williams Cleveland

12 Michael DeBose Cleveland

13* Neutral Lakewood

14 Mike Foley Cleveland

15 Timothy DeGeeter Parma

16* Neutral Westlake

17 Josh Mandel Lyndhurst

18 Colleen Grady Strongsville

19 Brad Lewis Groveport

20 Nancy Garland Gahanna

21 Kevin Bacon Columbus

Election Guide 2008

Oho House of Represeaves (coued)

22 John Carney Columbus

23 Cheryl Grossman Grove City

24* Neutral Columbus

25 Dan Stewart Columbus

26 Tracy Heard Columbus

27 W. Carlton Weddington Columbus

28 Virgil Lovitt Springdale

29 Louis Blessing, Jr. Cincinnati

30 Robert Mecklenborg Cincinnati

31 Denise Driehaus Cincinnati

32 Dale Mallory Cincinnati

33 Tyrone Yates Cincinnati

34* Neutral Cincinnati

35* Neutral Madeira

36 Seth Morgan Huber Heights

37 Peggy Lehner Kettering38 Terrance Blair Dayton

39 Clayton Luckie Dayton

40 Roland Winburn Dayton

41 Brian Williams Akron

42* Neutral Hudson

43 Stephen Dyer Green

44 Vernon Sykes Akron

45 John Otterman Barberton

46 Barbara Sears Sylvania

47 Peter Ujvagi Toledo

48 Edna Brown Toledo

49 Matt Szollosi Oregon

50 Todd Snitchler Uniontown

51 Scott Oelslager Canton

52 Stephen Slesnick Canton

53* Neutral Hanover Township

54 Courtney Combs Fairfield

55 Bill Coley West Chester

56 Joe Koziura Lorain

57 Matt Lundy Elyria

58 Terry Boose Norwalk59 Ronald Gerberry Austintown

60* Neutral Youngstown

61* Neutral Alliance

62 Lorraine Fende Willowick

63* Neutral Mentor

64 Thomas Letson Warren

65 Sandra Stabile Harwood Niles

66 Joseph Uecker Loveland

67 Shannon Jones Springboro




68 Kathleen Chandler Kent

69 William Batchelder Medina

70 Jarrod Martin Beavercreek

71 Jay Hottinger Newark

72 Ross McGregor Springfield

73 Jay Goyal Lexington

74 Bruce Goodwin Defiance

75 Lynn Wachtmann Napoleon

76 Cliff Hite Findlay

77 James Zehringer Maria Stein

78 John Adams Sidney

79 Richard Adams Troy

80* Neutral Port Clinton

81 Jeff Wagner Sycamore

82* Neutral Marion

83 David Burke Marysville84* Neutral London

85 John Schlichter Washington Court House

86 David Daniels Greenfield

87 Clyde Evans Rio Grande

88 Danny Bubp West Union

89 Todd Book Portsmouth

90* Neutral Mount Vernon

91 Dan Dodd New Lexington

92* Neutral Athens

93 Jennifer Garrison Marietta

94 Troy Balderson Zanesville

95 John Domenick Smithfield

96 Allan Sayre Dover

97* Neutral Ashland


98 Matthew Dolan Novelty

99 Deborah Newcomb Conneaut

Oho SeaeEndorsements


2 Mark Wagoner Toledo

4 Gary Cates West Chester

6 Jon Husted Kettering

8 Bill Seitz Cincinnati

10 Chris Widener Springfield

12 Keith Faber Celina

14 Tom Niehaus New Richmond

16 Jim Hughes Columbus

18 Tim Grendell Chesterland

20 Jimmy Stewart Athens

22 Bob Gibbs Lakeville

24 Tom Patton Strongsville

26 Karen Gillmor Dublin

28 Tom Sawyer Akron

30 Jason Wilson Columbiana

32 Capri Cafaro Hubbard

* In races marked *, OSMAPAC believed that both candidates demonstrated anunderstanding and open-minded approach to the healthcare issues facing Ohio and thephysician community. OSMAPAC encourages you to become further educated on theplatforms of these candidates and decide for yourself which person would best addresthe future of healthcare in Ohio.

** In races marked with **, all candidates have not been identified; therefore, OSMAPAChas not yet taken a position. Please check the OSMA website for updated information.

Election Guide 20

OSMAPAC, the Ohio State Medical Association Political ActionCommittee, fights for Ohio physicians by helping to elect stateand federal candidates who support the OSMAs policy agenda. Byelecting legislators who will reduce the cumbersome regulationsthat inhibit the practice of medicine, the OSMA is equippedwith the political muscle to enact meaningful reforms for thehealthcare industry.

OSMAPAC was established to promote the improvementof government for physicians and their patients. OSMAPACencourages physicians and patients to understand the importantpolitical issues that affect the practice of medicine.

The OSMAPAC Board of Directors made endorsements based onthe following criteria:

A candidates philosophy on key issues;

A candidates voting record (if applicable);

District demographics and a candidates ability to win; and

Recommendations from local OSMA members.

For information about joining OSMAPAC, contact Sara KaminskiPolitical Affairs Coordinator, Ohio State Medical Association bycalling (614) 527-6747 or by emailing her at: [email protected]

OSMAPAC: How he Edorseme Process Works


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