HB 485 – Relating to Personal Care Attendants

On Wednesday, March 24, HB 485 by Representative Sam Garrison (R-Orange Park) was heard by the House Health & Human Services Committee and was reported favorable with 21 yeas and 0 nays. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this legislation.

The bill will allow nursing homes to employ personal care attendants (PCA) and to allow a PCA to work as a nursing assistant (and count as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) for the purposes of staffing requirements) for a period of up to four months if the PCA is participating in the PCA training program established by the Agency for Health Care Administration in consultation with the Board of Nursing. The training program must consist of at least 16 hours of education which will lead to a PCA becoming a CNA. The bill defines a PCA as a person who provides care to and assists residents with tasks related to the activities of daily living and prohibits a PCA from performing any task that requires clinical assessment, interpretation, or judgment, or from working as a PCA for more than one nursing home before becoming a CNA.

The bill also specifies that a PCA must complete the 16 hours of education prior to having any direct contact with a resident.

HB 485 will now go to the House floor for consideration.

AIF supports legislative efforts that expand access to care and keep health care costs low for Florida businesses.

 

SB 786 – Relating to Prescription Insulin Drugs

On Wednesday, March 24, SB 786 by Senator Janet Cruz (D-Tampa) was heard by the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee and was reported favorable with 12 yeas and 0 nays. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in opposition to this legislation.

The bill requires individual and group health insurance policies and health maintenance organization (HMO) contracts that provide coverage for prescription insulin drugs for the treatment of diabetes to cap the cost-sharing obligation of an insured or subscriber for a 30-day supply of such drugs at an amount not to exceed $100.

The Department of Management Services estimates that implementation of the bill will result in a negative fiscal impact.

SB 786 will now go to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services.

AIF opposes legislation imposing additional burdens on health insurance providers that increase the cost of doing business for Florida’s employer community.

SB 566 – Relating to Motor Vehicle Rentals

On Wednesday, March 24, SB 566 by Senator Keith Perry (R-Gainesville) was heard by the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee and was reported favorable with 11 yeas and 1 nay. AIF’s Senior Vice President of State and Federal Affairs, Brewster Bevis, stood in support of this legislation.

A person renting a car In Florida is levied a $2 per day rental car surcharge.  The 6% sales tax is also due on the transaction. Peer-to-peer car sharing programs are app-based platforms where owners list and rent out their personal vehicle. However, these businesses are not collecting the rental car surcharge or the 6% sales tax which is already due in Florida. The proceeds from the rental car surcharge paid by consumers who rent vehicles builds and maintains the state’s infrastructure, which is very important to Florida businesses statewide.

The bill clarifies that rental transactions made on peer-to-peer car sharing platforms are subject to the surcharge and sales taxes.  It also establishes operational and insurance requirements for peer-to-peer vehicle sharing programs to protect consumers.

SB 566 will now go to the Senate Transportation Committee.

AIF supports the proposed measures in this bill to hold all rental car services accountable, regardless of how the vehicle is accessed.