FIC: Pharmacists Allowed To Treat Under Approved Bill

By:  Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel HB 833 allows consultant pharmacists to provide specified health care services under a collaborative practice agreement with an MD, DO, podiatrist, or dentist.  Collaborative practice agreements are voluntary.   Pharmacists with collaborative practice agreements with health care providers can provide medication management, order and evaluate tests, conduct patient assessments…

FIC: Health Shared Savings Bill Passes Committee

By:  Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 524 creates a voluntary health shared savings incentive program to allow health insurers and HMOs to provide cash or other incentives to insureds when they obtain shoppable health care services on the insurer’s or HMO’s shared savings incentive list.  The shoppable services are those that are non-emergency, including…

FIC: Health Plan & Essential Benefits Bill Approved

By:  Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel According to the bill sponsor, HB 997 is designed to give more options for health insurance to Floridians.  To accomplish this goal, the bill loosens the requirements for groups to band together for health insurance purposes under the Florida Nonprofit Multiple-Employer Welfare Act and association health group law. This…

FIC: Direct Primary Care Expansion Passes Committee

By:  Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel HB 7 is a priority bill of the House.  By expanding direct primary care to more specialized medical services, it meets Speaker Oliva’s goal of increasing health care options to Floridians in order to reduce health care costs.  The House Health Market Reform Subcommittee approved the bill during its…

FIC: Telehealth Bill Approved By Committee

By:  Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The House telehealth bill passed its first committee on March 5, 2019 without amendment.  HB 23 allows Florida licensed health care providers to use telehealth within their scope of practice.  It also allows out-of-state providers to use telehealth if they register.   The bill establishes standards of practice for…

FIC: Health Referral Bill Passes Committee

By:  Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel A bill dealing with referrals from health care providers to hospitals and out of network providers passed its first committee on March 5, 2019.  The only amendment to the bill changed the effective date of it. HB 863 prohibits health care providers from referring patients to any hospital in…

FIC: Preexisting Conditions Bill In Last Committee

By:  Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 322 by Sen. Simpson (R) related to health insurance preexisting conditions passed the Senate Health Policy Committee on March 4, 2019 with one technical amendment. The Senate bill is now in its last committee. The bill generally requires health insurers and HMOs to offer at least one comprehensive…