SENATE Spotlight

SB 306 - Managed Care Plan Network Access

Senator Barbara Sharief, D Davie

Amends Section 409.967 of the Florida Statutes to enhance managed care plan accountability by establishing more stringent access and reporting requirements.

• Establishes standards for the number and type of providers in managed care networks to ensure access to care, forbidding reliance solely on mail-order pharmacies for network access.
• Requires managed care plans to ensure that a minimum of 50% of primary care providers offer appointments to Medicaid enrollees outside regular business hours, defined as weekdays from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. and all-day weekends.
• Mandates each plan to maintain an accurate and complete electronic database of providers, accessible to the agency and the public.
• Obligates plans to submit quarterly reports on the number of enrollees per primary care provider.
• Implements ongoing testing of provider network databases to ensure accuracy and service availability.
• Ensures that every managed care plan provides an accessible and searchable online drug formulary.
• Requires plans, along with their fiscal agents, to accept electronic prior authorization requests for all services.

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FAVORABLE by Health Policy - 2 remaining committee stops

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SB 656 - Health Care Billing and Collection Activities

Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez, R Miami

• CS/SB 656 amends s. 395.3011, F.S., to extend protections from “extraordinary collection actions” by hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) to all actions relating to payments of a bill for care.
• Current protections, created in 2024, apply only to bills for care covered under the hospital’s or ASC’s financial assistance policy.
• Allows a hospital or ASC to sell an individual’s debt without a 30-day notification to the patient if the hospital or ASC meets specified requirements.

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FAVORABLE by Commerce & Tourism- 1 remaining committee stop

HB 547 has 1 remaining committee stop

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SB 998 - Physician Assistant and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Services

Senator Alexis Calatayud, R Miami

CS/SB 998 authorizes an advanced practice registered nurse (APRNs) providing hospice care pursuant to a written protocol with a licensed physician to:

• File a certificate of death or fetal death,
• Certify the cause of death, and
• Correct information on a permanent certificate of death or fetal death.

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FAVORABLE by Health Policy- 1 remaining committee stop

HB 647 in last committee stop this week

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SB 1288 - Parental Rights

Senator Erin Grall, R Fort Pierce

CS/SB 1288 expands the Parent’s Bill of Rights, tightening the requirements for parental consent for care and medical services provided to their child.

• Retains authorization for a health care provider to perform medical care on a minor without parental consent if the care is an emergency or is authorized by a court order.
• Requires parental review and consent before surveys and questionnaires may be given to a parent’s child or the results distributed; and requiring parental consent before using a biofeedback device on a minor. 

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FAVORABLE by Judiciary- 1 remaining committee stop

HB 1505 FAVORABLE by Health & Human Services- 2 remaining committee stops

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SB 1070 - Electrocardiograms for Student Athletes

Senator Cory Simon, R Tallahassee

CS/CS/CS/SB 1070 amends Florida law to require electrocardiogram (EKG) assessments for student athletes participating in interscholastic athletic competitions at Florida public and private schools.

Cited as the “Second Chance Act.”

• Amends s. 1006.20, F.S., to provide that the bylaws adopted by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) must require that, beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, all students participating or seeking to participate in interscholastic athletic competition for the first time must pass an EKG screening prior to participation based on standards established by the FHSAA’s Sports Medicine Advisory Committee.
• Requires the FHSAA to further develop the preparticipation physical evaluation and history form to include information about the practitioner performing the EKG, information related to referrals based on the EKG, and advisement to students concerning the results of the EKG.

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On Special Order this week: HB 1135 no remaining committee stops

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SB 1346 - Fentanyl Testing

Senator Tina Polsky, D Boca Raton

CS/CS/SB 1346 creates s. 395.1042, F.S., entitled “Gage’s Law.”

• Requires a hospital emergency department to test a patient for fentanyl if the patient is receiving emergency services and care for a possible drug overdose or poisoning and the emergency department conducts a urine test to assist in diagnosing the individual.
• Specifies that if the urine test comes back positive for fentanyl, the hospital must perform a confirmation test as defined in s. 440.102(1), F.S., and retain the results of the urine test and the confirmation test as part of the patient’s clinical record. 

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To be heard in Rules this week: HB 1195 in last committee stop

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SB 480 - Nonprofit Agricultural Organization Medical Benefit Plans

Senator Nick Dicelglie, R St Petersburg

CS/CS/SB 480 allows:

• Nonprofit agricultural organizations to offer medical benefit plans and specifies that such plans are not insurance for purposes of the Florida Insurance Code (code).
• Access to these medical benefit plans are limited to membership in a nonprofit agricultural organization.

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FAVORABLE SENATE 32-4: HB 497 also ready for House consideration

HOUSE Highlights

HB 899 - Insurer Disclosures on Prescription Drug Coverage

Rep Karen Gonzalez Pittman, R Tampa

• Requires all amounts paid for prescription drugs by patients or on their behalf to be counted toward their total cost-sharing requirements, preventing insurers and PBMs from pocketing the profit versus using to lower the patient's out-of-pocket drug costs.
• Introduces non-medical switching protections that require health insurers to provide advance notice of any formulary changes, ensuring patients and their healthcare providers are adequately informed and can effectively plan, when appropriate, to file a notice of medical necessity if the formulary change would be detrimental to a patient's care.

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FAVORABLE by Health Professions & Facilities - 1 remaining committee stop

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HB 229 - Health Facilities

Rep Vanessa Oliver, R Punta Gorda

Expands the types of health facility corporate structures authorized to pursue financing from a Health Facilities Authority (HFA), and expands the types of financial activities HFAs may engage in for the benefit of health care facilities and providers.

Amended to require a nonprofit hospital to provide notice, 120 days prior to closing a hospital, to the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and other health care facilities and health care professionals, and requires the notice to include specified information. 

Prohibits a corporation from receiving a charitable property tax exemption, for all licensed hospitals under such corporate ownership, if the corporation closes one of its hospitals with an emergency department and does not open a new emergency department within 120 days, and within a 10-mile radius of the hospital closure. These provisions apply retroactively to January 1, 2025, and first apply to the 2025 tax roll. 

This amendment was in response to the closing of the Rockledge Hospital, now owed by Orlando Health, and the amendment was sponsored by Rep Tyler Sirois, House Majority Leader.

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FAVORABLE by Health & Human Services - No remaining committee stops

SB 68 Ready for full Senate consideration

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HB 649 - Autonomous Practice by a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist 

Rep Mike Giallombardo, R Cape Coral

• Expands the scope of practice for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) in Florida, allowing for autonomous practices under certain conditions.
• Exempts autonomous advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) certified as CRNAs from requiring onsite medical direction when administering anesthesia, subject to facility protocols.
• Permits CRNAs, whether operating under a protocol or autonomously without one, to perform tasks such as assessing patient health risks, determining anesthesia type, ordering preanesthetic medication, and administering various anesthetic techniques.
• Allows CRNAs practicing autonomously under section 464.0123 to perform all acts authorized within their specialty without an established protocol.
• Enables APRNs registered for autonomous practice to engage in primary care, place special venous and arterial lines, and manage patient care in health care facilities autonomously, with abilities to admit, manage, and discharge patients.
• Grants autonomous APRNs the power to sign documents that are typically required to be signed by physicians, with certain exceptions.

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FAVORABLE by House 77-3

SB 718 still in first committee of reference

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HB 1617 - Stem Cell Therapy

Rep James Buchanan, R Sarasota

• CS/HB 1617 authorizes allopathic and osteopathic physicians to perform stem cell therapies that have not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) relating to orthopedics, wound care, and pain management. 
• Establishes the type of stem cells that may be used and the type of facilities from which a physician may obtain stem cells. 
• Requires physicians to provide notice and informed consent to patients receiving non-FDA approved therapies and provides for discipline for violations. 

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FAVORABLE by Health Professions - 1 remaining committee stop

SB 1768 has 2 remaining committee stops

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HB7027 - Hemp Consumable THC Products

Committee bill by Housing, Agriculture & Tourism

• Amends and creates definitions for certain terms under the state hemp program
• Creates new regulations and limitations for the sale of hemp consumable THC products in the state; 
• Creates new regulations for delivery sales of hemp consumable THC products to consumers in the state; 
• Makes all hemp consumable THC products sold, offered for sale, delivered, or distributed in violation of the state hemp program and the delivery sales requirements for hemp consumable THC products, contraband; 
• Prohibits the ingestion of hemp consumable THC products near schools; 
• Authorizes the Division of Alcoholic Beverages, housed within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, to take certain actions against tobacco retailers’ and nicotine product dealers’ permits for violating the state hemp program or the delivery sales requirements for hemp consumable THC products. 

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FAVORABLE to file as a Committee Bill

SB 438 Placed on Special Order for full Senate consideration

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HHB 1517 - Civil Liability for the Wrongful Death of an Unborn Child

Rep Sam Greco, R Palm Coast

CS/HB 1517 expands Florida’s Wrongful Death Act to allow the parents of an unborn child to recover monetary damages from a person who is responsible for the unborn child’s death.

Clarifies that such wrongful death action may not be brought against the mother for the wrongful death of her own unborn child or against a medical provider for lawful medical care provided in compliance with the applicable standard of care. 

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FAVORABLE by Judiciary and on Special Order for full House consideration

SB 1284 favorable by Judiciary- 2 remaining committee stops

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HB 5015 - State Group Insurance

Rep Vicki Lopez, R Miami

Establishes and amends regulations regarding state group health insurance:

• Modifies state group health insurance plan, mandating that copayments for prescription drugs are set annually in the General Appropriations Act
• Removes requirements allowing for the inclusion of certain excluded drugs under specified circumstances in the state's prescription drug program formulary.
• Updates the dates for formulary management and coverage for new market drugs, setting new implementation and reporting deadlines to 2026 and 2025, respectively.

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On Special Order in House

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HB 1181 - Motor Vehicle Insurance

Rep Danny Alverez, R Tampa

HB 1181 repeals the personal injury protection (“PIP”) coverage requirement under Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law and increases the minimum bodily injury liability coverage limits from $10,000 per person and $20,000 per incident to $25,000 per person and $50,000 per incident.

Moving to a mandatory bodily injury system delays payments to health care providers until fault is determined.

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FAVORABLE by Banking & Insurance - 1 remaining committee stop

SB has not been heard in first committee of reference 

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HB 815 - Patient Referrals by Medicaid Managed Care Organizations and Managed Care Plans

Rep Basabe, R Miami Beach 

• Requires the Agency for Health Care Administration to contract for an analysis of managed care plan referrals to affiliated organizations.
• Mandates collection, compilation, and analysis of data to determine ownership, controlling interests, or profit-sharing between managed care plans (excluding provider service networks), their subcontractors, and service providers or provider organizations within the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program.
• Requires a further analysis to assess the extent of patient referrals or steerage to affiliated service providers, including a cost comparison with services provided by non-affiliated providers.
• Specifies that a comprehensive report on these analyses must be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by July 1, 2026.

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FAVORABLE by Health Facilities - 1 remaining committee stop

SENATE Spotlight

SB 794 - Mandatory Human Reviews of Insurance Claim Denials

Senator Jennifer Bradley, R Fleming Island

CS/SB 794 prohibits an insurer from relying on the decisions provided by an algorithm, an artificial intelligence (AI) system, or a machine learning system as the sole basis for an insurer to deny a claim. The bill specifies that an insurer’s decision to deny a claim or any portion of a claim must be made by a “qualified human professional (QHP)."

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FAVORABLE by Banking & Insurance - 2 remaining committee stops

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SB 1568 - Mandatory Electronic Prescribing

Senator Jason Brodeur, R Lake Mary

Mandates electronic prescribing, removing exceptions in current Florida law. The following exceptions are removed, impacting both a patient's ability to price shop and/or have a written prescription for off-hour pharmacy access.

Specifically these exceptions in current would be removed under the bill:

The practitioner determines that the use of e-prescribing would delay a patient’s access to a drug thus adversely impacting the patient’s medical condition;

• The practitioner determines that it is in the best interest of the patient, or the patient determines that it is in his or her own best interest, to compare prescription drug prices among area pharmacies. The practitioner must document such determination in the patient’s medical record.
• Though a vast majority of prescriptions are appropriate for e-prescribing, physicians need discretion in scenarios when doing so would delay access to the medication or remove the patients ability to find the best price.

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FAVORABLE by Health Policy - 2 remaining committee stops

HB 1297 up in last committee stop on Monday, March 31

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SB 172 - Health Care Practitioner Specialty Titles and Designations

Senator Colleen Burton, R Lakeland

CS/SB 172 amends existing legislative intent under s. 456.003, F.S., relating to the regulation of health care professions and finds that the health, safety, and welfare of the public may be harmed or endangered by unlicensed practice or misleading representations by health care practitioners.

The bill amends ss. 458.3312 and 459.0152, F.S., to specify that only physicians who are board certified may use a defined list of medical specialist titles and designations—such as “cardiologist,” “dermatologist,” or “orthopedic surgeon”— and authorizes the Board of Medicine (BOM) and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine (BOOM), respectively, to add other titles by rule.

*Note: family physicians and emergency physicians (the two board certifications that include the term physician) are not included in the listing of board certified physicians due to the controversy over who can use the term "physician."

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FAVORABLE by Health Policy - 1 remaining committee stops

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SB 1842 - Out-of-network Providers

Senator Colleen Burton, R Lakeland

Addresses the responsibilities of health care practitioners when referring patients to other providers for nonemergency services.

• Requires practitioners or their employees to confirm if the referral provider is in the patient’s insurer network at the point of service.
• Exempts practitioners from this requirement if the patient declines confirmation or refuses to share necessary insurance information.
• Mandates that practitioners notify patients in writing about potential extra costs when referred to out-of-network providers or for uncovered services, with this notice to be documented in the patient’s medical record.
• Subjects practitioners to disciplinary action for noncompliance without good cause.

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FAVORABLE by Health Policy - 2 remaining committee stops

HB 1101 in last committee stop on Monday, March 31

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SB 152 - Protection from Surgical Smoke

Senator Tracie Davis, D Jacksonville

SB 152 requires hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to, by January 1, 2026, adopt and implement policies that require the use of a smoke evacuation system during any surgical procedure that is likely to generate surgical smoke

The bill defines:

• Smoke evacuation system: equipment that effectively captures, filters, and eliminates surgical smoke at the site of origin before the smoke makes contact with the eyes or respiratory tract of occupants in the room; and
• Surgical smoke: the gaseous byproduct produced by energy-generating devices such as lasers and electrosurgical devices. The term includes, but is not limited to, surgical plume, smoke plume, bio-aerosols, laser-generated airborne contaminants, and lung damaging dust.

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FAVORABLE by HHS Appropriations - 1 remaining committee stop

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SB 734 - Actions for Recovery of Damages for Wrongful Death

Senator Clay Yarborough, R Jacksonville

Amends provisions related to the recovery of damages in wrongful death cases in Florida.

Deletes restrictions preventing adult children and parents of adult children from recovering specific damages in cases of medical negligence.

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A late filed amendment FAILED but would have specified that complaints, investigative reports, settlements, final orders, findings from disciplinary proceedings, and prior adverse medical incident reports concerning a health care provider or facility would be discoverable and admissible as evidence in legal actions. The FAILED amendment would have also permitted the disclosure of the existence of insurance coverage to the jury.

FAVORABLE by Rules - no remaining committee stops

House companion, HB 6017 PASSED House (104-6)

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SB 1346 - Fentanyl Testing

Senator Tina Polsky, D Boca Raton

CS/SB 1346 creates s. 395.1042, F.S., entitled “Gage’s Law” to require a hospital emergency department to test a patient for fentanyl if the patient is receiving emergency services and care for a possible drug overdose or poisoning and the hospital conducts a urine test to assist in diagnosing the individual. The bill specifies that if the urine test comes back positive for fentanyl, the hospital must perform a confirmation test as defined in s. 440.102(1), F.S., and maintain the results of the urine test and the screenings as part of the patient’s clinical record.

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FAVORABLE by Health Policy - 2 remaining committee stops

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SB 1606 - Patient Access to Records

Senator Erin Grall, R Fort Pierce

Under current Florida law, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and health care practitioners are required to provide requested patient health records to patients, residents, and their legal representatives in a “timely” manner.

In the absence of a specific statutory deadline, the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) standard of 30 calendar days applies.

For electronic health information, the federal Information Blocking Rule also generally applies, requiring access without unreasonable delay.

SB 1606 standardizes the timeframe for responding to patient records requests for patients, residents, and their legal representatives. The bill amends various sections of the Florida Statutes to require health care providers and practitioners to furnish requested records within 14 working days of a request. Providers and practitioners who maintain electronic health record systems must deliver the records in the format chosen by the requester. In addition, the bill requires providers and practitioners to allow access for the inspection of original records, or suitable reproductions such as microforms, within 10 working days of receiving a request. Providers may impose reasonable conditions to protect the integrity of the records.

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Retained in Health Policy - 2 remaining committee stops

HB 1083 to be heard in its last committee stop on Monday, March 31

HOUSE Highlights

HB 649 - Autonomous Practice by a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Rep Mike Giallombardo, R Cape Coral

Expands the scope of practice for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) in Florida, allowing for autonomous practices under certain conditions.

• Exempts autonomous advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) certified as CRNAs from requiring onsite medical direction when administering anesthesia, subject to facility protocols.
• Permits CRNAs, whether operating under a protocol or autonomously without one, to perform tasks such as assessing patient health risks, determining anesthesia type, ordering preanesthetic medication, and administering various anesthetic techniques.
• Allows CRNAs practicing autonomously under section 464.0123 to perform all acts authorized within their specialty without an established protocol.
• Enables APRNs registered for autonomous practice to engage in primary care, place special venous and arterial lines, and manage patient care in health care facilities autonomously, with abilities to admit, manage, and discharge patients.
• Grants autonomous APRNs the power to sign documents that are typically required to be signed by physicians, with certain exceptions.

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FAVORABLE by Health & Human Services - no remaining committee stops

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HB 947 - Evidence of Damages to Prove Medical Expenses in Personal Injury or Wrongful Death Actions

Rep Omar Blanco, R Miami

Amends Florida Statutes to change the admissibility of evidence for medical expenses in personal injury and wrongful death cases.

• Allows for any court-approved evidence demonstrating the actual value of medical treatments or services, no longer strictly limited to predefined criteria.
• Permits inclusion of amounts health care coverage is obligated to pay, reasonable and customary rates, or amounts paid under a letter of protection for past unpaid charges.
• Entitles the inclusion of similar evidence types for future medical treatments or services.
• Specifies that all amendments apply to causes of action accrued after March 24, 2023, and for which final judgment has not been entered by July 1, 2025.

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FAVORABLE by Judiciary - No remaining committee stops

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HB 1181 - Motor Vehicle Insurance

Rep Danny Alverez, R Tampa

• HB 1181 repeals the personal injury protection (“PIP”) coverage requirement under Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law and increases the minimum bodily injury liability coverage limits from $10,000 per person and $20,000 per incident to $25,000 per person and $50,000 per incident.
• Moving to a mandatory bodily injury system delays payments to health care providers until fault is determined.

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Member debate questioned the potential impact of eliminating PIP and requiring mandatory bodily injury coverage, focusing on whether it would raise costs for some drivers or lower overall premiums. Supporters argued the change would modernize Florida’s outdated coverage requirements and reduce fraud, while opponents worried about shifting expenses to health care providers and increased rates for drivers carrying only minimal insurance

FAVORABLE by Civil Justice - 2 remaining committee stops

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HB 731 - Standardized Tests for Admission to Medical Institutions of Higher Education

Rep Lauren Melo, R Naples

Creates requirements for standardized admissions tests at medical higher education institutions.

Requires these institutions to mandate a standardized admissions test that evaluates knowledge and critical thinking skills in science and medical training for admission.

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FAVORABLE by Government Operations - 1 remaining committee stop

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HB 647 - Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Services

Rep Dana Trabulsy, R Naples

Amends Section 382.008 of Florida Statutes, affecting protocols regarding death and fetal death registration and certification.

• Expands the definition of "primary or attending practitioner" to include advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) providing hospice care under a written protocol with a licensed physician.
• Allows APRNs providing hospice care, in addition to other specified medical personnel, to file certificates of death or fetal death electronically when no funeral director is present.
• Permits these same APRNs to furnish medical certification of cause of death to the funeral director and to provide necessary medical or health information for fetal death registration within 72 hours post-expulsion or extraction.
• Enables APRNs providing hospice care to sign and date corrections on permanent death or fetal death certificates.

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FAVORABLE by Health Professions - 1 remaining committee stop

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HB 1299 - Department of Health

Rep Michael Yarkosky, R Clermont

The bill revises several provisions of Florida law relating to the state’s health care workforce, health care services, and health care practitioner licensure and regulation related to the Department of Health. The revisions include:

• Saving the definition of “messenger ribonucleic acid vaccine,” from repeal;
• Expanding the Patient’s Bill of Rights and Responsibilities to prohibit discrimination based on vaccination status;
• Requiring additional reporting from medical marijuana treatment centers (MMTCs) and certified medical marijuana testing laboratories (CMTLs) relating to actual and attempted theft, loss, or diversion of medical marijuana;
• Revising the requirements for licensure by endorsement under the Mobile Opportunity by Interstate Licensure Endorsement Act;
• Defining the term “party state,” in the Physical Therapy Compact; and
• Adding dental and dental hygiene students to the list of practitioners eligible for sovereign immunity under the Access to Health Care Act.

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FAVORABLE by Health Professions - 2 remaining committee stops

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HB 355 - Emergency Opioid Antagonists in Public K-12 Schools and Postsecondary Educational Institutions

Rep Jose Alverez, R Kissimmee

Expands the range of emergency opioid antagonists public K-12 schools and postsecondary educational institutions can use and maintain.

• Authorizes public schools to purchase and maintain a supply of any U.S. FDA-approved emergency opioid antagonists, not limited to naloxone, for overdose events.
• Ensures that school district employees who administer such emergency opioid antagonists are immune from civil liability, in compliance with specified statutes.
• Revises the definition of "emergency opioid antagonist" to include any FDA-approved drug that can be used in emergency treatment of opioid overdoses, no longer specifying naloxone hydrochloride only.

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FAVORABLE by Health & Human Services - No remaining committee stops

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HB 803 - Acupuncture 1181

Rep Jose Alverez, R Kissimmee

Revises and updates terminology and regulations around the practice of acupuncture in Florida.

• Replaces the term "oriental" with "eastern" in various contexts including defining acupuncture and eastern medicine.
• Redefines "acupuncturist" as a practitioner of the healing arts, clarifying their role as a primary health care provider.
• Expands the definition of "prescriptive rights" in acupuncture to include the administration of various supplements and medications through injection, while excluding certain drugs like corticosteroids and controlled substances.
• Modifies licensure qualifications, requiring completion of a 4-year course of study in eastern medicine and a board-approved national certification process.

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FAVORABLE by Health Professions - 1 remaining committee stops

SENATE Spotlight

SB 1808 - Refund of Overpayments Made by Patients

Senator Colleen Burton, R Lakeland

CS/SB 1808 requires health care practitioners, facilities, providers, and anyone who accepts payment from insurance for services rendered by health care practitioners, to refund to a patient any overpayment made by the patient no later than 30 days after determining that the patient made an overpayment.

Bill Analysis

FAVORABLE by Health Policy - 2 remaining committee stops

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SB 1356 - Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases

Senator Colleen Burton, R Lakeland

The Senate Education Postsecondary Committee on Monday advanced legislation aimed at establishing a newborn genetic screening program at Florida State University's pediatric rare diseases unit. The bill will create a statewide research network to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare genetic disorders.

Bill Analysis

Committee members voiced strong support for the bill's focus on early detection and collaboration. The House version of the legislation (HB 907) has also begun moving, clearing the first of four assigned committee stops last week. House bill sponsor Rep. Adam Anderson, R-Palm Harbor, has been an advocate for rare disease research since his son died from the rare fatal genetic condition Tay-Sachs disease at four years old. There are over 7,000 known rare diseases affecting 350 million people worldwide.

FAVORABLE by Education - 2 remaining committee stops

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SB 430 - Cardiac Emergencies

Senator Corey Simon, R Quincy

CS/SB 430 requires school districts to provide basic training in first aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), once during middle school in a physical education or health class and once during high school in a physical education or health class.

The bill also requires that no later than July 1, 2027, every public school, including charter schools, must have at least one operational automated external defibrillator (AED) on school grounds. Specifically, public schools are required to:

Ensure appropriate school staff are trained in first aid, CPR, and AED use.

Maintain AEDs according to manufacturer specifications.

Publicize and clearly mark AED locations.

The bill requires each public school to develop a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) to guide school personnel in responding to sudden cardiac arrest or similar emergencies. Schools must collaborate with local emergency service providers to integrate their CERPs into the community’s emergency response system.

The bill provides civil liability immunity to school employees and volunteers under the Good Samaritan Act and the Cardiac Arrest Survival Act.

Bill Analysis

Members raised questions about the overall costs for schools and the training requirements for staff, while supporters championed combining multiple legislative approaches into one comprehensive plan to address sudden cardiac arrest. Debate focused on ensuring schools have an operational AED and a cardiac emergency response plan that includes liability protections and accessible training.

FAVORABLE by Education - 2 remaining committee stops

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SB 734 - Actions for Recovery of Damages for Wrongful Death

Senator Clay Yarborough, R Jacksonville

Amends provisions related to the recovery of damages in wrongful death cases in Florida.

Deletes restrictions preventing adult children and parents of adult children from recovering specific damages in cases of medical negligence.

Bill Analysis

Members raised concerns that repealing the medical negligence exception would drive up insurance costs and worsen Florida’s physician shortage, while supporters argued it is necessary to ensure accountability and reflect the value of life. Debate centered on whether improved regulatory oversight or a broader legal remedy would better address negligence and fairness. The companion bill has cleared all committee stops and is on the Special Order Calendar for full House debate this upcoming week.

FAVORABLE by HHS Appropriations - 1 remaining committee stops

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HOUSE Highlights

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HB 1231 - Insurance Claims Payments to Physicians

Rep Dean Black, R Jacksonville

Addresses changes in insurance claims payments to physicians, altering methods of payment and claim denial conditions.

Prohibits health insurers and health maintenance organizations from mandating credit card payments as the only method for payments to physicians.

Authorizes and regulates the use of electronic funds transfers by health insurers and health maintenance organizations for payments to physicians, requiring advance notification and written consent from physicians.

Enforces that fees associated with electronic funds transfers must be consented to by physicians.

Specifies conditions under which a health insurer or health maintenance organization may deny claims that involve procedures included in prior authorizations, such as reaching benefit limitations after the authorization or lack of supporting documentation.

Implement provisions concerning claim denials to address procedures added after authorization, changes in medical necessity, and other specified circumstances.

Bill Analysis

Members’ questions centered on potential alternative payment methods and the need for clarity in credit card use between insurers and physicians; debate focused on support for transparency and fairness in claim payments, with concerns raised about retroactive denials impacting both providers and patients.

FAVORABLE by Insurance & Banking - 2 remaining committee stops

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HB 1421 - Improving Screening for and Treatment of Blood Clots

Rep Dean Black, R Jacksonville

The bill creates the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act to improve screening and treatment measures for, and prevention of blood clots and pulmonary embolisms (PEs) in Florida residents.

The bill:

• Adds blood clots and PEs to the Statewide Stroke Registry and requires certain health care facilities to report information containing certain nationally recognized blood clot and PE performance measures.
• Requires the Agency for Health Care Administration to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature on the incidence of blood clots and PEs using inpatient, outpatient, and ambulatory surgery data.
• Requires all hospitals with emergency departments and ambulatory surgical centers to develop and implement policies and procedures for appropriate medical attention for persons at risk of forming blood clots, PEs, or DVTs, which must reflect evidence-based best practices; and requires hospitals and ASCs to train nonphysician personnel on their policies and procedures.
• Requires nursing homes and assisted living facilities to train personnel on how to recognize signs and symptoms of blood clots, PEs, and deep vein thrombosis.

Bill Analysis

FAVORABLE by Health Professions - 3 remaining committee stops

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HB 1101 - Out-of-network Providers

Rep Jon Albert, Ft Mead

Requires health care practitioners to provide written notification to patients referred to nonparticipating providers, detailing that services will be conducted on an out-of-network basis, potentially increasing the patient's cost-sharing responsibilities. Includes a requirement to document such notice in the patient's medical record and establishes disciplinary action for non-compliance.

Mandates health insurers to count payments for services by nonpreferred providers toward the insured's deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums, provided certain conditions are met, including the insured's request, coverage scope compatibility, and charge comparison either to average preferred provider rates or state averages.

Bill Analysis

Members discussed requiring providers to notify patients in writing about out-of-network referrals, focusing on whether the onus should fall on physicians or insurers and how potential penalties might delay care.

FAVORABLE by Health Facilities & Programs - 1 remaining committee stops

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HB 1135 - Electrocardiograms for Student Athletes

Rep Jason Shoaf, R Port St Joe

The bill requires electrocardiogram (EKG) assessments for student athletes participating in interscholastic athletic competitions at Florida public and private high schools. The bill also requires the Florida High School Athletic Association bylaws to include a requirement that students in grades 9-12 receive an EKG to join an athletic team.

Bill Analysis

Members raised questions about cost, liability, and access to pediatric cardiologists, with broad support for mandatory EKG screenings to detect hidden cardiac conditions in student athletes, acknowledging the need for amendments to refine implementation and affordability. Overall, speakers endorsed the measure as a critical step in protecting young athletes’ lives.

FAVORABLE by Student Academic Success - 1 remaining committee stops

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HB 1437 - Attorney Fees and Costs for Motor Vehicle Personal Injury Protection Benefits

Rep John Snyder, R Palm City

HB 1437 entitles the prevailing party to an attorney fee award in certain lawsuits brought by a medical provider against a patient’s motor vehicle insurance company to recover specified overdue medical benefits owed to the provider under the patient’s personal injury protection (“PIP”) coverage.

Bill Analysis

In the brief debate, Representative Berfield (R) questioned whether a two-way fees provision would address concerns about small-amount lawsuits, while industry representatives stressed that HB 1437 could revive sue-and-settle litigation and undo recent reforms. The sponsor asserted that the bill ensures attorney fees in overdue claims disputes.

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HB 1297 - Electronic Prescribing

Rep Bill Partington, R Ormond

Mandates electronic prescribing, removing exemptions in current Florida law. The following exemptions are removed, impacting both a patient's ability to price shop for their prescription drugs and/or have a written prescription for off-hour pharmacy access.

Specifically, these current exemptions would be removed under the bill:

The practitioner determines that the use of e-prescribing would delay a patient’s access to a drug thus adversely impacting the patient’s medical condition;

The practitioner determines that it is in the best interest of the patient, or the patient determines that it is in his or her own best interest, to compare prescription drug prices among area pharmacies. The practitioner must document such determination in the patient’s medical record.

Bill Analysis

During the subcommittee debate, members raised concerns about removing paper-prescription exceptions – especially regarding pharmacy stock issues, transferring controlled substances, and patient cost comparisons – while emphasizing overall support for enhancing safety and efficiency.

FAVORABLE by HC Professions & Programs - 1 remaining committee stops

FAVORABLE by Civil Justice - 2 remaining committee stops