Advocacy and Government Relations

Mercy Health is the largest healthcare system in Ohio, and one of the largest non-profit systems in the country. The depth and breadth of our delegation of elected officials provides our ministry with ample opportunities to address an array of issues important to patients, employees and providers. Within an ever-changing landscape throughout healthcare coupled with unprecedented government budgetary challenges, Mercy Health Advocacy and Government Relations supports:

• Systemic reform to achieve coverage and access to quality, accessible and affordable care for all
• Greater transparency among providers that enhances patient experience 
• Promoting care and process efficiencies through common sense regulation that delivers value
• Increasing recognition of innovative quality improving practices as models for providing one standard of high quality care for all
• Fair public program payment for hospital and medical provider groups that focus on improving incentives

Legislative and regulatory decisions made at all levels of government continue to dramatically influence the fabric of healthcare delivery. These decisions also impact Mercy Health's ability to fulfill its Mission of extending the healing ministry of Jesus by improving the health of our communities with emphasis on people who are poor and underserved. We strive to influence public policy through successful advocacy initiatives.

For more information about Mercy Health's Advocacy efforts, please contact Jon Fishpaw, Mercy Health's system vice president of advocacy and government relations, at jpfishpaw@mercy.com. We also invite you to access Mercy Health's Point of View so that you can gather background information on issues that are important to Mercy Health and communicate with legislators on issues that impact our ministry.

Key Summaries

Economic Impact of the Investments and Operations on the State of Ohio

Mercy Health Background

• Overview
• Mercy Health: Who We Are

Federal and National Resources

(When you click on the Federal and State Resources links below, you will leave the Mercy Health website.)

• Catholic Health Association
• Premier
• USA.gov
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

State of Ohio Resources

• Ohio Legislature
• Ohio Hospital Association
• Ohio Department of Health
• Ohio Department of Insurance
• Ohio Medicaid
• Ohio Office of Health Transformation
• Catholic Conference of Ohio

Commonwealth of Kentucky Resources

• Kentucky Hospital Association
• Kentucky Department for Public Health
• Kentucky Legislature
• Kentucky Medicaid
• Catholic Conference of Kentucky

You are permitted to reprint documents created by Mercy Health that are posted on the Key Summaries page. These documents are intended for informational use only, and Mercy Health is not responsible for how they are used by those who reprint them.