Florida Insurance Council - Covering Florida Since 1962
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On February 22, 2017, the House Health Quality Subcommittee chaired by Dr. Pigman, an emergency room physician, narrowly passed a controversial bill creating a new cause of action for abortions. The bill, HB 19, passed by a vote of 9-7. The Speaker appointed House Majority Leader Rodriguez as…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel Senate Bill 334 allows prejudgment interest on economic and noneconomic damages, attorney fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff in any action. The bill passed its first committee on February 21, 2017 with one amendment 841034 that substantially changed the bill’s provisions on prejudgment interest awards on noneconomic and…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The Senate Health Policy Committee passed the frozen formulary/continuity of prescription care bill, SB 182, on February 21, 2017 with one amendment. The bill has two committees left. Sen. Mayfield, the bill sponsor, described the bill as a “consumer protection and patient protection bill.” The bill prohibits…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee passed the flood insurance bill (SB 420) on February 21, 2017 with two amendments. The vote count was 8-1 with Sen. Farmer, a trial lawyer, casting the lone “no” vote. The bill has two committees left. The House bill is similar and has…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On February 21, 2017, the Senate Health Policy Committee unanimously approved the direct primary care bill, SB 240 with three amendments. None of the amendments related to insurance. The bill has two committees left. The bill specifies that a direct primary care agreement is not insurance and is not…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 102 prohibits a health insurer or HMO from retroactively denying a claim if the insurer or HMO verified the insured’s eligibility at the time of treatment and provided an authorization number. The bill was unanimously approved by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on February 21, 2017 without…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On February 21, 2017, SB 262, a bill heavily supported by doctors and the trial bar, that expands the vicarious liability of HMOs and commercial health plans passed the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee with a vote of 6-3. Interestingly, two of the three “no” votes were cast by…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 404 which exempts workers’ compensation reimbursement allowances and manuals adopted by rule by DFS from legislative rule ratification unanimously passed its first committee on February 21, 2017. The bill was not amended and has two committees left. Under current law the reimbursement allowances and reimbursement manuals approved by…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The House TNC bill (HB 221), a priority of the FIC Auto Committee, passed its second and last committee on February 21, 2017 by a vote of 21-1. The bill is now eligible to be heard on the House floor whenever the Rules Committee schedules it. The lone “no”…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel Bills for the 2017 Session are being filed every day. Following is a summary of bills related to property insurance filed as of February 20, 2017 that FIC is following. Notable bills filed since our last bill summary include: AOB, FIGA, and Citizens’ assessment reduction. As noted in…