HB 7073-Relating to Ratification of Rules/Florida Workers’ Compensation Health Care Provider Reimbursement Manual
On Wednesday, February 17th, HB 7073, relating to Ratification of Rules/ Florida Workers’ Compensation Health Care Provider Reimbursement Manual, by the House Rulemaking Oversight & Repeal Subcommittee and Rep. Lake Ray (R-Jacksonville) was heard before the House Regulatory Affairs Committee and passed with 13 yeas and 0 nays. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this bill.

This bill addresses adoption of the current version of the Florida Worker's Compensation healthcare provider reimbursement manual. This manual has not been adopted or updated since 2008, leaving Florida well behind every other state in the amount of reimbursement it pays to healthcare providers for the treatment of injured workers.

HB 7073 will now go to the House floor to be heard.

AIF supports legislation that will keep Florida’s Workers’ Compensation system a stable and self-executing mechanism that benefits both injured workers and Florida’s employers.

SB 986-Relating Workers’ Compensation System Administration
On Wednesday, February 17th, SB 986, relating to Workers’ Compensation Administration, by Senator Wilton Simpson (R-Trilby) was heard by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and passed. AIF’s General Counsel, Tammy Perdue, stood in support of this bill.

SB 986 provides additional administrative tools to the deep vision of Worker's Compensation for penalty enforcement and stop work order fines.

This bill will now go to its final committee hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

AIF supports Florida’s current workers’ compensation law and any proposed change to the workers’ compensation system- in the courtroom or Legislature- will be evaluated through the prism of coverage affordability, market stability, and employee safety.