SB 7044- Relating to Health Insurance Affordability Exchange
On Tuesday, March 17th, SB 7044, relating to Health Insurance Affordability Exchange, by the Senate Health Policy Committee unanimously passed through its second stop in the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services with 8 yeas and 0 nays.

This bill will make health care coverage available to almost 1 million more working Floridians through the creation of the Florida Health Insurance Exchange (FHIX).  The bill now moves on to its final step in the Senate, the Senate Appropriations Committee. AIF’s General Counsel, Tammy Perdue, stood in support of the measure.

AIF will focus its efforts on proposals that seek to increase the accessibility and affordability of quality health care for Florida residents.

AIF released the following statement applauding its passage in today's hearing:

AIF Commends Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on
Health and Human Services for Passing FHIX

Tallahassee, Fla. – The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) today released the following statement attributable to Tamela Perdue, general counsel for AIF, commending the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services for unanimously passing Senate Bill 7044, the “Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange” (FHIX).

“We commend members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services for passing FHIX, a Florida-centric plan to expand health care coverage to nearly one million Floridians by drawing down our state’s share of federal dollars in a thoughtful and Florida-specific manner.

“Uncompensated health care accounts for an extraordinary amount of money that is currently being born by Florida’s businesses, the economic engine of our state; and, this plan is a free-market, consumer choice health care system that seeks to alleviate that economic strain.

“And, while there is no silver bullet in achieving the goal of making affordable health care available to all Floridians, AIF, along with 700 business owners, 20 local chambers of commerce and 112,000 individuals, supports SB 7044, as it is essential for the business community in Florida to have a meaningful policy discussion on expanding health care to Floridians, in order to ultimately reduce this hidden tax on businesses that drives up health insurance premiums and stifles the growth of businesses here in the Sunshine State.

“On behalf of AIF, I thank Senate President Andy Gardiner and the Florida Senate for continuing their leadership and dialogue on this critically important Florida health reform initiative.”

For more information on AIF, please visit AIF.com and follow @VoiceofFLBiz.

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