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Florida Legislative Update
April 18, 2008
A Snapshot of Legislative Issues this week:
House and Senate Release Proposed Budgets
House and Senate leaders this week announced their budget conference committee members who must negotiate a final spending plan before the end of the current Legislative Session on May 2nd. The budget conference is scheduled to get underway next week.
Managed Care
The House companion, HB 405 by Representative Galvano passed as a committee substitute in the House Policy & Budget Council this week, and will move next to the House floor for final consideration. SB 1012 by Senator Gaetz and others is now available for consideration on Senate floor for a final vote. These bills are among the top legislative priorities of the Florida Medical Association and address several of the unfair business practices and tactics used by managed care organizations to reduce physician reimbursement.
Automated External Defibrillators
No change this week on CS/HB 243 which has passed all committees of reference and is waiting to be considered on the House floor. CS/CS/SB 564 passed the Florida Senate and is expected to be paired up with CS/HB 243 for final passage. The legislation is a compromise between the healthcare community, business industry and the trial lawyers and provides broader immunity to encourage greater use.
Electronic Health Records
The Senate Banking and Insurance committee this week unanimously approved SB 1998 by Senator Ring. The Florida House voted out CS/HB 637 this week. The bill heads to the Senate where it will be paired up with SB 1998. The legislation is subject to specific appropriation by the Florida Legislature. If funded, it will create the Florida e-Health Initiative Act to promote and coordinate the establishment of a secure privacy-protected and interconnected statewide health information exchange.
Guns in Vehicles
This week, The Governor signed the gun bill into law. The new law which takes effect July 1, 2008 will allow employees to take their guns to work, as long as the owner has a permit and the weapon is locked in a car.
Sovereign Immunity
No change on this issue; HB 839 by Representative Homan was still not considered by the House Safety and Security Council this week. The legislation would provide sovereign immunity for certain emergency healthcare providers. The Senate companion, SB 1640 by Senator Baker has not yet been considered in the Senate.
Organ Donation Program
SB 2630 by Senator Oelrich unanimously passed the Senate this week. The bill revises the organ and tissue donor program to allow online registration for the program. The bill also modifies the list of persons who may make an anatomical gift and the persons whose objections prevent a gift from being made or accepted. The House companion, HB 1485 (and the public records companion legislation HB 1487) by Representative Hays passed the House Healthcare Council this week and goes next to the House Policy and Budget Council before heading to the House floor for final consideration.
Consumer Right to Know
CS/SB 1488 by Senator Dean creating the “Health Care Consumer’s Right to Information Act” unanimously passed the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee this week. The bill requires a health care provider or health care facility to automatically disclose to a patient who is eligible for Medicare whether that provider or facility accepts Medicare reimbursement as payment in full and other information to assist a patient. The Senate bill goes to the floor for final vote. The House companion, HB 1435 by Representative Zapata was considered in the House Healthcare Council this week and unanimously passed as a committee substitute. The bill goes next to the House floor for final debate and passage.
Patients Medical History Website
CS/SB 1550 by Senators Saunders and Atwater which requires the Agency for Health Care Administration to contract with a vendor by June 30, 2009 to design and operate a website that gives health care practitioners, pharmacies and pharmacists access to patient medication history thru a privacy protected website. The bill which has been combined with SB 2724 relating to controlled substances is scheduled to be considered in the Senate Judiciary Committee next week (4/21).
Certificate of Need
The Florida Senate this week heard SB 2326 by Senator Peaden and others. Several amendments were adopted on the Senate floor and the bill was unanimously approved by a vote of 39-0. The CON bill that passed was a compromise between the governor's office, which had wanted to abolish CON altogether, and the hospital industry. SB 2326 would require hospitals that challenge an agency decision granting a competitor’s CON to pay the attorney’s fees if it loses. The fees would be capped at $1 million. As of Wednesday afternoon, there was no companion bill in the House. “We don’t know yet what the House has planned,” said Rich Rasmussen of the Florida Hospital Association. The FHA would like to see the compromise bill passed, he said, "so we can put more time and energy into other issues, like the uninsured."
If you need additional information on legislative action:
Log on to the Florida Legislature's home page,. www.leg.state.fl.us You can track a bill through Online Sunshine as it travels through the legislative process. Go to the Session tab and select the chamber - House or Senate - session year and the bill number. You may choose to select a bill by number of by the lawmaker's name. The Senate's homepage is www.flsenate.gov and the House's is www.myfloridahouse.gov
Florida Legislative Update
April 11, 2008
A Snapshot of Legislative Issues this week:
House and Senate Release Proposed Budgets
This week, members of the House and Senate voted out their respective spending plans after several days of floor debate. The House budget (approximately $65.1 billion) trims more than $1billion from the healthcare programs while the Senate budget ($65.9 billion) is slightly less at $500. Legislative leaders will appoint a conference committee to officially work out the differences for the ultimate passage the 2008-2009 General Appropriations Bill. Lawmakers are expected to begin conferencing early next week.
Managed Care
The House companion, HB 405 by Representative Galvano passed as a committee substitute in the House Healthcare Council this week, and is scheduled for a hearing in the House Policy & Budget Council on Monday, April 14th. This is the last committee stop before the bill goes to the House floor for a final vote. SB 1012 by Senator Gaetz and others passed the Senate General Government Appropriations committee this week, its last stop before going to the Senate floor for a final vote. These bills are among the top legislative priorities of the Florida Medical Association and address several of the unfair business practices and tactics used by managed care organizations to reduce physician reimbursement.
Automated External Defibrillators
CS/HB 243 has passed all committees of reference and is waiting to be considered on the House floor. CS/CS/SB 564 passed the Florida Senate and is expected to be paired up with CS/HB 243 for final passage. The legislation is a compromise between the healthcare community, business industry and the trial lawyers and provides broader immunity to encourage greater use.
Electronic Health Records
The Senate Health Regulation committee this week approved SB 1998 by Senator Ring as a committee substitute and is now in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee. CS/HB 637 passed the House Policy & Budget Council unanimously as a committee substitute. The legislation is subject to specific appropriation by the Florida Legislature. If funded, it will create the Florida e-Health Initiative Act to promote and coordinate the establishment of a secure privacy-protected and interconnected statewide health information exchange.
Guns in Vehicles
This week, the Florida Senate passed HB 503 by Representative Evers by a vote of 26-13. After passing both chambers, the bill was immediately certified to the Governor and is waiting final action. The Governor has until April 16th to sign the bill into law, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature. The legislation will allow employees to take their guns to work, as long as the owner has a permit and the weapon is locked in a car.
Sovereign Immunity
HB 839 by Representative Homan was not considered by the House Safety and Security Council this week. The legislation would provide sovereign immunity for certain emergency healthcare providers. The Senate companion, SB 1640 by Senator Baker has not yet been considered in the Senate.
Organ Donation Program
SB 2630 by Senator Oelrich unanimously passed the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations committee this week as a committee substitute and debated on the Senate floor this week. The bill is expected to be brought up for final passage early next week. The bill revises the organ and tissue donor program to allow online registration for the program. The bill also modifies the list of persons who may make an anatomical gift and the persons whose objections prevent a gift from being made or accepted. The House companion, HB 1485 (and the public records companion legislation HB 1487) by Representative Hays was temporarily postponed in the House Healthcare Council.
Donated Organs and Drugs
This week, HB 673 by Representative Bogdanoff and others failed to pass the House Healthcare Council by a vote of 7-10. The legislation would have prohibited the dispensing of drugs for immunosuppressive therapy following organ transplants other than original specifically prescribed drug unless authorized to do so by prescribing practitioners. The Senate bill SB 2242 by Senator Oelrich was temporarily postponed in Senate Health Regulation committee this week.
Consumer Right to Know
CS/SB 1488 by Senator Dean creating the "Health Care Consumer’s Right to Information Act" unanimously passed the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Tuesday (4/8) as a committee substitute. The bill requires a health care provider or health care facility to automatically disclose to a patient who is eligible for Medicare whether that provider or facility accepts Medicare reimbursement as payment in full and other information to assist a patient. The House companion, HB 1435 by Representative Zapata is still awaiting a hearing in the House Healthcare Council.
Patients Medical History Website
No action this week on CS/SB 1550 by Senators Saunders and Atwater which requires the Agency for Health Care Administration to contract with a vendor by June 30, 2009 to design and operate a website that gives health care practitioners, pharmacies and pharmacists access to patient medication history thru a privacy protected website. There is no companion legislation in the House that has been heard.
Certificate of Need
The Florida Senate this week heard SB 2326 by Senator Peaden and others. Several amendments were adopted on the Senate floor.
If you need additional information on legislative action:
Log on to the Florida Legislature's home page,. www.leg.state.fl.us You can track a bill through Online Sunshine as it travels through the legislative process. Go to the Session tab and select the chamber - House or Senate - session year and the bill number. You may choose to select a bill by number of by the lawmaker's name. The Senate's homepage is www.flsenate.gov and the House's is www.myfloridahouse.gov
Florida Legislative Update
April 4, 2008
A Snapshot of Legislative Issues this week
House and Senate Release Proposed Budgets:
Members of the House and Senate are preparing to vote on their separate budget recommendation next week. Once each Chamber votes on their individual spending proposal and formally refuse to accept the other’s plan, the budget conference process will begin. During the next three weeks, the House and Senate budget conferees will negotiate the differences for the ultimate passage of the 2008-2009 General Appropriations Bill.
The House proposal continues to include an increase for Medicaid Rates for Physicians totaling $21,082,444. The issue is included in proviso language for specific appropriations line item #’s 220 and 220A of the House budget. The appropriation is a 3.75% increase for family care, internal medicine, OB GYN, pediatric, cardiology and pulmonary physicians.
Managed Care
SB 1012 by Senator Gaetz and others was unanimously approved in the Senate Health Policy committee this week. The bill is now in the Senate General Government Appropriations committee, its last stop before going to the Senate floor for a final vote. The House companion, HB 405 by Representative Galvano is on the agenda for Tuesday’s (4/8) House Healthcare Council. These bills are among the top legislative priorities of the Florida Medical Association and address several of the unfair business practices and tactics used by managed care organizations to reduce physician reimbursement.
Automated External Defibrillators – update:
CS/HB 243 has passed all committees of reference and has been placed on Second Reading on the House Calendar. CS/CS/SB 564 will soon be paired up with CS/HB 243 for final passage and is expected to be sent to Governor Crist to be signed into law. The legislation is a compromise between the healthcare community, business industry and the trial lawyers and provides broader immunity to encourage greater use.
Electronic Health Records
The Senate Health Regulation committee this week approved SB 1998 by Senator Ring as a committee substitute. CS/HB 637 currently resides in the House Policy & Budget Council where it is awaiting a final hearing before going to the House floor for a final vote. The legislation is subject to specific appropriation by the Florida Legislature. If funded, it will create the Florida e-Health Initiative Act to promote and coordinate the establishment of a secure privacy-protected and interconnected statewide health information exchange.
Guns in Vehicles
SB 1130 by Senator Peaden was discussed on the Senate floor this week and was substituted with HB 503 which passed the Florida House last week. HB 503 will be up for a final vote in the Florida Senate next week, and if approved will go to Governor Crist for final adoption. The legislation will allow employees to take their guns to work, as long as the owner has a permit and the weapon is locked in a car.
Sovereign Immunity
Again this week, HB 839 by Representative Homan was temporarily postponed in the House Safety and Security Council. The bill would provide sovereign immunity for certain emergency healthcare providers. The Senate companion, SB 1640 by Senator Baker has not yet been considered in the Senate.
Organ Donation Program
SB 2630 by Senator Oelrich passed the Senate Governmental Operations committee this week as a committee substitute. The bill revises the organ and tissue donor program to allow online registration for the program. The bill also modifies the list of persons who may make an anatomical gift and the persons whose objections prevent a gift from being made or accepted. The bill goes next to the Governmental Operations committee. The House companion, HB 1487 by Representative Hays is scheduled to be considered in the House Healthcare Council on Tuesday (4/8).
Consumer Right to Know
CS/SB 1488 by Senator Dean creating the “Health Care Consumer’s Right to Information Act” is scheduled to be considered in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Tuesday (4/8). The bill requires a health care provider or health care facility to automatically disclose to a patient who is eligible for Medicare whether that provider or facility accepts Medicare reimbursement as payment in full and other information to assist a patient. The House companion, HB 1435 by Representative Zapata is still awaiting a hearing in the House Healthcare Council.
Biomedical Research
HB 7061 by Representative Aaron Bean was unanimously approved in the House Policy & Budget Council this week. The bill will go to the House floor for a final vote. The legislation creates a biomedical advisory council which will submit funding priorities for consideration to the Florida Legislature. Comparable legislation in the Florida Senate is SB 1864 by Senator Peaden which has been placed on Special Order for Wednesday (4/9) in the Florida Senate.
Patients Medical History Website
The Senate Health Regulation committee this week combined and approved SB 1550 & SB 2724. The new bill, CS/SB 1550 by Senators Saunders and Atwater requires the Agency for Health Care Administration to contract with a vendor by June 30, 2009 to design and operate a website that gives health care practitioners, pharmacies and pharmacists access to patient medication history thru a privacy protected website. There is no companion legislation in the House that has been heard.
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