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You can now enter into a Postnuptial Agreement in Ohio!

Client Alert

Earlier this year, Ohio was one of just two states (Iowa) that did not permit couples to enter into postnuptial agreements – agreements made between married couples that separate their marital and non-marital property in the event of death or a future divorce. The Ohio Legislature changed this on March 23, 2023, when it passed S.B. 210 legalizing these agreements.

The new law considers that a couple’s financial health and goals often change throughout their marriage and that they should have the option to terminate or update an existing prenuptial agreement, or execute (and later modify if needed) a postnuptial agreement, to reflect these changes. To exercise any one of these options, the following conditions must be satisfied: 1) the agreement is in writing and signed by both spouses; 2) the agreement is entered into freely without fraud, duress, coercion, or overreaching; 3) there was full disclosure, or full knowledge, and understanding of the nature, value, and extent of the property of both spouses; and 4) the terms do not promote or encourage divorce or profiteering by divorce.[1]

Life is unpredictable and the new law affords Ohio couples greater flexibility when planning for their futures, which most likely look very different now than they did before marriage. The law also takes the pressure off engaged couples who are contemplating entering into a prenuptial agreement. Additionally, the ability to enter into a postnuptial agreement lessens the burden of dividing up assets if a couple were to ultimately divorce.

For questions regarding S.B. 210 and your options, please contact Cassandra Manna at clmanna@bmdllc.com or (216) 658-2206.

[1]  S.B. 210, 134th Gen. Assemb., Reg. Sess. (Ohio 2023). 


Ohio Department of Health Releases Updated Charge Limits for Medical Records

Under Ohio law, a healthcare provider or medical records company that receives a request for a copy of a patient's medical record may charge an amount in accordance with the limits set forth in Ohio Revised Code Section 3701.741. The allowable amounts are increased or decreased annually by the average percentage of increase or decrease in the consumer price index for all urban consumers, prepared by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the immediately preceding calendar year over the calendar year immediately preceding that year, as reported by the Bureau. The Director of the Ohio Department of Health makes this determination and adjusts the amounts accordingly. The list is then published, here.

No Surprises Act Compliance (Published by NAMAS, 2/25/22)

The Department of Health and Human Services published three parts to the No Surprises Act towards the end of 2021, which took effect January 1, 2022. The Act is intended to protect consumers from “balance billing,” which occurs when a patient receives a bill with a higher price than they may have anticipated because they did not have knowledge that the provider or facility was out-of-network. The purpose of this article is to note certain requirements that compliance employees will need to be aware of at their facilities, including notice and consent, good faith estimates, and public disclosures.

No Surprises Act and You (Published in the SCMS Winter 2022 Newsletter)

Legislation has been adopted by the United States Congress and the Ohio Legislature known as the “No Surprises Act” which attempts to regulate billing by professionals and facilities to patients who are not in networks with those facilities or providers at those facilities. The federal bill was triggered by some sensational news stories of patients being billed for tens of thousands of dollars for emergency care when the hospital was out of the network under the patient’s insurance plans.

Are You Impacted by the Project Labor Agreement Executive Order?

Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) are a quasi-collective bargaining agreement between employers and unions. They establish the terms and conditions of employment, including dispute resolution. They are put into place on specific projects and apply to the contractor, whether it is union or non-union. Employees hired on the project will be treated as union.

No Surprises Act Update: Federal Judge Strikes Portions of the No Surprises Act

In a win for providers, a Texas federal court granted the Texas Medical Association’s (TMA) motion for summary judgment and struck down portions of a federal rule that establishes a reimbursement rate arbitration process between payors and providers under the No Surprises Act (NSA).