Guidelines
- Please email each contact individually, not as part of a group email.
- Suggested subject lines:
- Over 1 Million Ohioans Could Benefit from Telehealth Second-Opinion Access
- Improving Access to Rare‑Disease Second Opinions for Ohio Patients
- Urgent Request: Modernizing Ohio Telehealth Rules for Second Opinions
- Removing Barriers to Lifesaving Expertise for Ohioans
- Telehealth Reform Needed for Rare Cancer & Rare Disease Patients
- Supporting Virtual Access to Out‑of‑State Specialists for Ohio Residents
- A Practical Fix to Expand Specialist Access for 1.2M Ohioans
- Request for Action: Telehealth Second‑Opinion Exemption
- Feel free to copy the sample letter below or to write your own.
- If you or a loved one has experience with a rare cancer or condition and has sought an out-of-state second opinion, please include a brief synopsis of your experience and the burdens associated with not being able to receive a second opinion via telehealth.
Contact List
Ohio House Health Committee:
- Chair: Jean Schmidt – rep62@ohiohouse.gov
- Vice Chair: Kellie Deeter – rep54@ohiohouse.gov
- Ranking Member: Anita Somani – rep8@ohiohouse.gov
Ohio Senate Health Committee:
- Chair: Senator Steve Huffman – shuffman@ohiosenate.gov
- Vice Chair: Senator Terry Johnson – tjohnson@ohiosenate.gov
- Ranking Member: Senator Beth Liston – bliston@ohiosenate.gov
Ohio Department of Health:
- Director: Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff – bruce.vanderhoff@odh.ohio.gov
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear CONTACT NAME,
I am writing to respectfully request your support for updating Ohio’s telehealth rules to allow out-of-state licensed medical specialists to provide second-opinion consultations via telehealth, particularly for rare diseases and rare cancers. This small but meaningful change would remove unnecessary barriers to timely lifesaving expertise for every 1 in 10 Ohio residents, annually.
OPTIONAL: IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE HAVE HAD A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH A RARE DISEASE OR CANCER AND FACED LIMITATIONS IN YOUR ABILITY TO GET A SECOND OPINION, YOU MIGHT WANT TO INSERT A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THAT EVENT HERE.
Many Ohioans facing rare cancers or complex medical conditions cannot travel out of state for specialized advice. They may be too ill, live in rural areas, lack transportation, or be unable to shoulder the financial burden. For these patients, the current rules effectively deny access to the expertise that could save or extend their lives.
I respectfully urge you to consider creating a telehealth exemption for second opinions from physicians at Centers of Excellence or nationally recognized specialty programs. Allowing these experts to consult with Ohio patients virtually—without requiring full Ohio licensure for the sole purpose of a second opinion—would:
- Expand access to rare-disease expertise for 1.2 million Ohioans per year
- Reduce financial and logistical barriers for out-of-state care
- Accelerate time-sensitive treatment decisions
- Improve health outcomes and, in many cases, save lives
This is a practical, patient-centered improvement that keeps primary care and treatment in Ohio while allowing residents to benefit from world-class expertise.
Thank you sincerely for your consideration and for your ongoing work to support the health of Ohioans.
Respectfully,
NAME/CITY/STATE