Florida Insurance Council - Covering Florida Since 1962
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel With the bill sponsoring saying the telehealth bill was still a “work in progress,” SB 1526 passed its second committee on April 16, 2019. A strike all amendment was adopted that made significant changes to bring the bill very close to the House telehealth bill (HB 23) that has…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 626, the bill to equalize payment for long term care insolvencies by the Florida Life & Health Guaranty Association (FLAHIGA), passed its last Senate committee on April 11, 2019. It was not amended. The bill is patterned on the NAIC model act for funding long-term care insolvencies…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel Two bills expanding the scope of practice for pharmacists passed the House on April 11, 2019. There was no debate on either bill. They will now be sent to the Senate for consideration and approval. The Senate has not heard any of their pharmacist expanded scope of practice…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 11, 2019, the House passed their bill creating a voluntary health shared savings incentive program on the floor with a vote of 114-0. There was no debate on the bill. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for consideration and approval. The Senate bill,…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel HB 23 passed the House on April 11, 2019 by a vote of 102-14. The bill will now be sent to the Senate for consideration and approval. The Senate telehealth bill is very different from the House bill, as described below, so it is unclear and unlikely the Senate…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 322 by Sen. Simpson (R) related to health insurance preexisting conditions was temporarily postponed on the Senate floor on April 10, 2019 with six amendments proposed by Democrats pending to it. Although it is unclear why the bill was postponed, it could have been postponed because the…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel Two bills expanding the scope of practice for pharmacists will be voted on on April 11, 2019. Both bills were heard for the first time on the House floor on April 10, 2019 setting them up for a vote on April 11, 2019. Neither bill garnered opposition or amendments…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel HB 23 is described by the bill sponsor as a way to solve the health care provider workforce shortage in Florida. It allows over 35 types of Florida licensed health care providers to use telehealth within their scope of practice. It also allows out-of-state providers to use telehealth if…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 10, 2019, the House heard their bill creating a voluntary health shared savings incentive program on the floor. They will likely vote on the bill on April 11, 2019. The Senate bill, SB 524, is also moving this year and is in its last committee. It…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 418, the Senate essential health benefits bill, passed its last committee on April 10, 2019 with a technical amendment. The bill will now be heard on the Senate floor. The essential health benefits part of the bill provides more health insurance options for Floridians by permitting health insurers…