SB 1442 & HB 221-Relating to Out-of-network Health Insurance Coverage
On Tuesday, February 16th, SB 1442, relating to Out-of-network Health Insurance Coverage, by Senator Rene Garcia (R-Hialeah) was heard by the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee and passed with 11 yeas and 0 nays. AIF continues to support this bill.

On Wednesday, February 17th, HB 221, relating to Out-of-Network Health Insurance Coverage, by Rep. Carlos Trujillo (R-Doral)was heard by the House Health & Human Services Committee and passed. AIF’s General Counsel, Tammy Perdue, stood in support of this bill.

The intent of this bill is to protect consumers from balance billing when that situation occurs in an emergency setting; the balance bill is the difference between the provider's charges and the amount the provider has received in reimbursement from the consumer's insurance plan. Provider charges in Florida are often 100 times more than Medicaid charges, so this legislation should cap a significant cost driver in today's health care system. 

SB 1442 will now head to its final committee stop in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

HB 221 will now go to the House floor for consideration.

AIF supports legislation that requires a patient to be presented with documentation regarding any charges for out-of-network services.

HB 7087- Relating to Telehealth
On Wednesday, February 17th, HB 7087, relating to Telehealth, by House Select Committee on Affordable Healthcare Access and Rep. Chris Sprowls (R-Clearwater) was heard by the House Health & Human Services Committee and passed by a vote of 17 yeas to 0 nays. AIF stood in support of this bill.

The bill would authorize Florida licensed health care providers to use telehealth to deliver services within their scopes of practice.  It would also allow out-of-state providers to deliver services through telehealth to Florida patients if they register with the Department of Health (DOH) or the applicable board, meet specific eligibility requirements, and pay an established fee. The out of state telehealth provider would be prohibited from opening an office in Florida and from providing in-person health care services to patients located in the state. 

Additionally, a telehealth provider would be required to conduct an in-person physical exam prior to providing services through telehealth, unless the provider is capable of conducting a patient evaluation in a manner consistent with the applicable standard of care sufficient to diagnose and treat the patient when using telehealth.

HB 7087 will now go to the House floor for consideration.

AIF supports legislation that permits an unfettered role for telehealth services that will allow our citizens access to better quality care at lower costs.

SB 676-Relating to Health Care
On Thursday, February 18th, SB 676, relating to Health Care, by Senator Denise Grimsley (R-Sebring) was heard in front of the Senate Appropriations Committee and passed with 15 yeas and 0 nays.

SB 676 would authorize and increase the scope for practice for physician assistants (PAs) and advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs) to prescribe controlled substances under current supervisory standards for PAs and protocols for ARNPs beginning January 1, 2017.  ARNPs and PAs would not be allowed to prescribe controlled substances in a pain management clinic. Other provisions of the bill include:

• Requiring health insurers, HMOs and pharmacy benefits managers to use the standardized prior authorization form by January 1, 2017;
• Providing a health insurer or HMO cannot retroactively deny a claim due to an insured’s ineligibility, if that insurer or HMO verified eligibility at the time of treatment; and
• Requiring hospitals to notify OB physicians with privileges at least 90 days prior to closing its OB department.

Another provision to the bill, which causes AIF to continue to express concern, is the provision that would prohibit a health insurer and health maintenance organization (HMO) from retroactively denying a claim due to the insured’s delinquency of premium payments, if that insurer or HMO already verified the insured’s eligibility at the time of treatment. This provision on claims payment could lead to increased costs on Florida’s businesses.

However, we do SUPPORT the provision in this bill that will provide for an increase of the scope of practice for ARNPs and PAs.

At this juncture AIF did not take a position on this bill.

SB 676 will now go to the Senate floor for consideration.

AIF supports removing regulatory scope of practice obstacles for qualified health care professions to ensure greater access to quality care for more Floridians at more affordable costs.