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This week, the legislature crossed the halfway mark of the 2024 Legislative Session, upping the stakes as subcommittees conclude business for the session. As bills begin to wither on the vine, the political gamesmanship intensifies as legislators search for other opportunities to amend their stalled legislative priorities onto other bills. Budget negotiations will soon dominate the legislative landscape as the House and Senate work to reconcile their difference in the budget conference and pass the FY 2024-25 General Appropriations Act.

The House and Senate passed their respective budgets for FY 2024-25.  Both plans provide robust funding for graduate medical education (GME).  The Senate plan allocates $441.8 million to GME, coming in $11.6 million higher than the House allocation of $430.2 million.  Both plans provide $191 million for the Statewide Medicaid Residency Program, $57.4 million for the Graduate Medical Education Startup Bonus Program, and $30 million for the Slots for Docs Program.  

If passed by the House, the provisions contained in SB 7016 would increase funding for the Slots for Docs program to $50 million. In addition, SB 7016 would increase the allocation for the Florida Reimbursement Assistance for Medical Education (FRAME) Program from $16 million to $46 million.  

Congresswoman Laurel Lee (R-FL) & Steve Winn Discuss Healthcare in Tallahassee

Legislative Highlights

SB 1112 Health Care Practitioner Titles and Designations by Harrell

We are pleased to report that a FOMA priority, SB 1112, unanimously passed its final committee, the Senate Rules Committee. The bill is now eligible for Senate consideration. The bill specifies that using certain medical titles misleadingly or fraudulently by non-physicians constitutes unlicensed medical practice, subjecting violators to penalties under s. 456.065, F.S.

The House companion, HB 1295 (Rep. Massullo), was amended and passed unanimously by the House Healthcare Regulation Subcommittee. Although similar, HB 1295 extends protections to optometrists. 

HB 1549 Health Care by Grant

On February 6, the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee amended and unanimously passed HB 1549, the House version of the Senate's live healthy initiative. Like SB 7016, the bill revises and establishes policy relating to the state's healthcare workforce, healthcare services, healthcare practitioner licensure and regulation, healthcare facility licensure and regulation, the Medicaid program, and health-care-related education programs. The bill also provides that Florida will enter the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.

SB 0458 Invalid Restrictive Covenants in Health Care by Brodeur

The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee amended and unanimously passed SB 458 concerning invalid covenants in healthcare. CS/SB 458 prohibits any restrictive covenant entered into with an allopathic or osteopathic physician that restricts the physician from practicing medicine in any geographic area for any period after the termination of their contract or other employment relationship. The bill provides exceptions from the prohibition related to research, physicians whose individual compensation is $250,000 per year.

The committee substitute provides that the prohibition against restrictive covenants does not apply to a physician who has ownership interest in a medical business, practice, management services organization, or entity of any kind when such entity meets certain criteria.

The House companion, HB 11 by Rudman, has yet to be heard in committee.  

SB 0516 Emergency Refills of Insulin and Insulin-related Supplies or Equipment by Rodriguez

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services unanimously passed SB 516 concerning emergency insulin refills. SB 516 eliminates the one-vial limit on emergency insulin refills and expands the current law on emergency insulin refills to include related supplies and equipment. Under the measure, if unable to obtain a prescriber authorization, a pharmacist may dispense, up to three nonconsecutive times per calendar year, an emergency refill of insulin and insulin-related supplies or equipment to treat diabetes.

SB 1320 HIV Infection Prevention Drugs by Calatayud

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services amended and passed SB 1320.  As amended, the legislation authorizes a pharmacist to order and dispense postexposure HIV drugs under a collaborative practice agreement (CPA) with a medical or osteopathic physician.

For more information on legislation of interest adopted in committee, please see the FOMA Bill Tacking Report Below.

FOMA Bill Tracking Report

In the News