Senate Bill 0314c1

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    Florida Senate - 1998                            CS for SB 314

    By the Committee on Health Care and Senator Brown-Waite





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  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the regulation of health

  3         care facilities; amending s. 20.42, F.S.;

  4         deleting the responsibility of the Division of

  5         Health Policy and Cost Control within the

  6         Agency for Health Care Administration for

  7         reviewing hospital budgets; abolishing the

  8         Health Care Board; amending s. 154.304, F.S.,

  9         relating to health care for indigent persons;

10         revising definitions; amending s. 394.4788,

11         F.S., relating to mental health services;

12         updating provisions relating to duties of the

13         agency formerly performed by the Health Care

14         Cost Containment Board; amending s. 240.4076,

15         F.S.; conforming a cross-reference to changes

16         made by the act; amending s. 395.0163, F.S.;

17         providing exemptions from construction

18         inspections and investigations by the Agency

19         for Health Care Administration for certain

20         outpatient facilities; providing exceptions;

21         amending s. 395.1055, F.S.; requiring the

22         Agency for Health Care Administration to adopt

23         rules to assure that, following a disaster,

24         licensed facilities are capable of serving as

25         shelters only for patients, staff, and the

26         families of staff and patients; providing for

27         applicability; providing for a report by the

28         agency to the Governor and Legislature;

29         amending s. 395.401, F.S.; providing for

30         certain reports formerly made to the Health

31         Care Board to be made to the agency; amending

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  1         s. 395.701, F.S., relating to the Public

  2         Medical Assistance Trust Fund; revising

  3         definitions; amending ss. 408.05, 408.061,

  4         408.062, 408.063, F.S., relating to the State

  5         Center for Health Statistics and the collection

  6         and dissemination of health care information;

  7         updating provisions to reflect the assumption

  8         by the Agency for Health Care Administration of

  9         duties formerly performed by the Health Care

10         Board and the former Department of Health and

11         Rehabilitative Services; authorizing the agency

12         to conduct data-based studies and make

13         recommendations; deleting obsolete provisions;

14         amending s. 408.07, F.S.; deleting definitions

15         made obsolete by the repeal of requirements

16         with respect to hospital budget reviews;

17         amending s. 408.08, F.S.; deleting provisions

18         requiring the Health Care Board to review the

19         budgets of certain hospitals; deleting

20         requirements that a hospital file budget

21         letters; deleting certain administrative

22         penalties; amending s. 408.40, F.S.; removing a

23         reference to the duties of the Public Counsel

24         with respect to hospital budget review

25         proceedings; amending ss. 409.2673, 409.9113,

26         F.S., relating to health care programs for

27         low-income persons and the disproportionate

28         share program for teaching hospitals; updating

29         provisions to reflect the abolishment of the

30         Health Care Cost Containment Board and the

31         assumption of its duties by the agency;

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  1         repealing ss. 395.403(9), 395.806(3), 407.61,

  2         408.003, 408.072, 408.085, F.S., relating to

  3         reimbursement of state-sponsored trauma

  4         centers, studies by the Health Care Board,

  5         appointment of members to the Health Care

  6         Board, review of hospital budgets, and budget

  7         reviews of comprehensive inpatient

  8         rehabilitation hospitals; providing for

  9         retroactive application of provisions of the

10         act relating to repeal of review of hospital

11         budgets; amending ss. 381.026, 381.0261, F.S.;

12         requiring distribution of the Florida Patient's

13         Bill of Rights and Responsibilities; providing

14         penalties; repealing s. 395.002(2) and (15),

15         F.S.; deleting definitions of "adverse or

16         untoward incident" and "injury"; amending s.

17         395.0193, F.S.; revising provisions relating to

18         facility peer review disciplinary actions

19         against practitioners; requiring a report to

20         the Agency for Health Care Administration;

21         providing penalties; amending s. 395.0197,

22         F.S.; revising provisions relating to internal

23         risk management; defining the term "adverse

24         incident"; requiring certain reports to the

25         agency; including minors in provisions relating

26         to notification of sexual misconduct or abuse;

27         requiring facility corrective action plans;

28         providing penalties; renumbering s. 626.941,

29         F.S., relating to the purpose of the health

30         care risk manager licensure program;

31         renumbering and amending s. 626.942, F.S.,

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  1         relating to the Health Care Risk Manager

  2         Advisory Council; renumbering and amending s.

  3         626.943, F.S.; providing powers and duties of

  4         the agency; renumbering and amending s.

  5         626.944, F.S., relating to qualifications for

  6         health care risk managers; providing for fees;

  7         providing for issuance, cancellation, and

  8         renewal of licenses; renumbering and amending

  9         s. 626.945, F.S., relating to grounds for

10         denial, suspension, or revocation of licenses;

11         amending s. 766.101, F.S., relating to medical

12         review committees; adding "physician-hospital

13         organization," "provider-sponsored

14         organization," and "integrated delivery system"

15         to the definition of "medical review committee"

16         or "committee"; amending ss. 394.4787, 395.602,

17         400.051, 409.905, 440.13, 458.331, 459.015,

18         468.505, 641.55, 766.1115, F.S.; conforming

19         references and correcting cross-references;

20         transferring the internal risk manager

21         licensure program from the Department of

22         Insurance to the Agency for Health Care

23         Administration; providing an appropriation;

24         providing effective dates.

25

26  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

27

28         Section 1.  Paragraphs (b), (d), and (e) of subsection

29  (2) and subsections (6) and (7) of section 20.42, Florida

30  Statutes, are amended to read:

31

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  1         20.42  Agency for Health Care Administration.--There is

  2  created the Agency for Health Care Administration within the

  3  Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The agency

  4  shall be a separate budget entity, and the director of the

  5  agency shall be the agency head for all purposes. The agency

  6  shall not be subject to control, supervision, or direction by

  7  the Department of Business and Professional Regulation in any

  8  manner, including, but not limited to, personnel, purchasing,

  9  transactions involving real or personal property, and

10  budgetary matters.

11         (2)  ORGANIZATION OF THE AGENCY.--The agency shall be

12  organized as follows:

13         (b)  The Division of Health Policy and Cost Control,

14  which shall be responsible for health policy, the State Center

15  for Health Statistics, the development of The Florida Health

16  Plan, certificate of need, hospital budget review, state and

17  local health planning under s. 408.033, and research and

18  analysis.

19         (d)  The Health Care Board, which shall be responsible

20  for hospital budget review, nursing home financial analysis,

21  and special studies as assigned by the secretary or the

22  Legislature.

23         (d)(e)  The Division of Administrative Services, which

24  shall be responsible for revenue management, budget,

25  personnel, and general services.

26         (6)  HEALTH CARE BOARD.--The Health Care Board shall be

27  composed of 11 members appointed by the Governor, subject to

28  confirmation by the Senate. The members of the board shall

29  biennially elect a chairperson and a vice chairperson from its

30  membership. The board shall be responsible for hospital budget

31  review, nursing home financial review and analysis, and

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  1  special studies requested by the Governor, the Legislature, or

  2  the director.

  3         (6)(7)  DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE

  4  SERVICES.--The director shall appoint a Deputy Director of

  5  Administrative Services who shall serve at the pleasure of,

  6  and be directly responsible to, the director. The deputy

  7  director shall be responsible for the Division of

  8  Administrative Services.

  9         Section 2.  Subsections (1) and (8) of section 154.304,

10  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

11         154.304  Definitions.--For the purpose of this act:

12         (1)  "Agency" means the Agency for Health Care

13  Administration. "Board" means the Health Care Board as

14  established in chapter 408.

15         (8)  "Participating hospital" means a hospital which is

16  eligible to receive reimbursement under the provisions of this

17  act because it has been certified by the agency board as

18  having met its charity care obligation and has either:

19         (a)  A formal signed agreement with a county or

20  counties to treat such county's indigent patients; or

21         (b)  Demonstrated to the agency board that at least 2.5

22  percent of its uncompensated charity care, as reported to the

23  board, is generated by out-of-county residents.

24         Section 3.  Subsections (2) and (3) of section

25  394.4788, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

26         394.4788  Use of certain PMATF funds for the purchase

27  of acute care mental health services.--

28         (2)  By October 1, 1989, and annually thereafter, The

29  agency shall annually calculate a per diem reimbursement rate

30  for each specialty psychiatric hospital to be paid to the

31  specialty psychiatric hospitals for the provision of acute

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  1  mental health services provided to indigent mentally ill

  2  patients who meet the criteria in subsection (1).  After the

  3  first rate period, providers shall be notified of new

  4  reimbursement rates for each new state fiscal year by June 1.

  5  The new reimbursement rates shall commence July 1.

  6         (3)  Reimbursement rates shall be calculated using the

  7  most recent audited actual costs received by the agency.  Cost

  8  data received as of August 15, 1989, and each April 15

  9  thereafter shall be used in the calculation of the rates.

10  Historic costs shall be inflated from the midpoint of a

11  hospital's fiscal year to the midpoint of the state fiscal

12  year.  The inflation adjustment shall be made utilizing the

13  latest available projections as of March 31 for the Data

14  Resources Incorporated National and Regional Hospital Input

15  Price Indices as calculated by the Medicaid program office.

16         Section 4.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (4) of section

17  240.4076, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

18         240.4076  Nursing scholarship loan program.--

19         (4)  Credit for repayment of a scholarship loan shall

20  be on a year-for-year basis as follows:

21         (a)  For each year of scholarship loan assistance, the

22  recipient agrees to work for 12 months at a health care

23  facility in a medically underserved area as approved by the

24  Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. Eligible

25  health care facilities include state-operated medical or

26  health care facilities, county public health units, federally

27  sponsored community health centers, or teaching hospitals as

28  defined in s. 408.07 s. 408.07(49).

29         Section 5.  Subsection (1) of section 395.0163, Florida

30  Statutes, is amended to read:

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  1         395.0163  Construction inspections; plan submission and

  2  approval; fees.--

  3         (1)(a)  The agency shall make, or cause to be made,

  4  such construction inspections and investigations as it deems

  5  necessary. The agency may prescribe by rule that any licensee

  6  or applicant desiring to make specified types of alterations

  7  or additions to its facilities or to construct new facilities

  8  shall, before commencing such alteration, addition, or new

  9  construction, submit plans and specifications therefor to the

10  agency for preliminary inspection and approval or

11  recommendation with respect to compliance with agency rules

12  and standards.  The agency shall approve or disapprove the

13  plans and specifications within 60 days after receipt of the

14  fee for review of plans as required in subsection (2).  The

15  agency may be granted one 15-day extension for the review

16  period if the director of the agency approves the extension.

17  If the agency fails to act within the specified time, it shall

18  be deemed to have approved the plans and specifications.  When

19  the agency disapproves plans and specifications, it shall set

20  forth in writing the reasons for its disapproval.  Conferences

21  and consultations may be provided as necessary.

22         (b)  All outpatient facilities that provide surgical

23  treatments requiring general anesthesia or IV conscious

24  sedation, that provide cardiac catheterization services, or

25  that are to be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers shall

26  submit plans and specifications to the agency for review under

27  this section. All other outpatient facilities must be reviewed

28  under this section, except that those that are physically

29  detached from, and have no utility connections with, the

30  hospital and that do not block emergency egress from or create

31  a fire hazard to the hospital are exempt from review under

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  1  this section. This paragraph applies to applications for which

  2  review is pending on or after July 1, 1998.

  3         Section 6.  Paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of section

  4  395.1055, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  5         395.1055  Rules and enforcement.--

  6         (1)  The agency shall adopt, amend, promulgate, and

  7  enforce rules to implement the provisions of this part, which

  8  shall include reasonable and fair minimum standards for

  9  ensuring that:

10         (d)  New facilities and a new wing or floor added to an

11  existing facility after July 1, 1999, are structurally capable

12  of serving as shelters only for patients, staff, and families

13  of staff and patients, and equipped to be self-supporting

14  during and immediately following disasters.

15         Section 7.  The Agency for Health Care Administration

16  shall work with persons affected by section 6 and report to

17  the Governor and Legislature by April 1, 1998, its

18  recommendations for cost-effective renovation standards to be

19  applied to existing facilities.

20         Section 8.  Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1) of

21  section 395.401, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

22         395.401  Trauma services system plans; verification of

23  trauma centers and pediatric trauma referral centers;

24  procedures; renewal.--

25         (1)  As used in this part, the term:

26         (a)  "Agency" means the Agency for Health Care

27  Administration. "Board" means the Health Care Board.

28         (b)  "Charity care" or "uncompensated charity care"

29  means that portion of hospital charges reported to the agency

30  board for which there is no compensation for care provided to

31  a patient whose family income for the 12 months preceding the

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  1  determination is less than or equal to 150 percent of the

  2  federal poverty level, unless the amount of hospital charges

  3  due from the patient exceeds 25 percent of the annual family

  4  income.  However, in no case shall the hospital charges for a

  5  patient whose family income exceeds 4 times the federal

  6  poverty level for a family of four be considered charity.

  7         Section 9.  Subsections (1), (2), (3), and (4) of

  8  section 395.701, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

  9         395.701  Annual assessments on net operating revenues

10  to fund public medical assistance; administrative fines for

11  failure to pay assessments when due.--

12         (1)  For the purposes of this section, the term:

13         (a)  "Agency" means the Agency for Health Care

14  Administration.

15         (b)(a)  "Gross operating revenue" or "gross revenue"

16  means the sum of daily hospital service charges, ambulatory

17  service charges, ancillary service charges, and other

18  operating revenue.

19         (b)  "Health Care Board" or "board" means the Health

20  Care Board created by s. 20.42.

21         (c)  "Hospital" means a health care institution as

22  defined in s. 395.002(11) s. 395.002(12), but does not include

23  any hospital operated by the agency or the Department of

24  Corrections.

25         (d)  "Net operating revenue" or "net revenue" means

26  gross revenue less deductions from revenue.

27         (e)  "Total deductions from gross revenue" or

28  "deductions from revenue" means reductions from gross revenue

29  resulting from inability to collect payment of charges.  Such

30  reductions include bad debts; contractual adjustments;

31  uncompensated care; administrative, courtesy, and policy

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  1  discounts and adjustments; and other such revenue deductions,

  2  but also includes the offset of restricted donations and

  3  grants for indigent care.

  4         (2)  There is hereby imposed upon each hospital an

  5  assessment in an amount equal to 1.5 percent of the annual net

  6  operating revenue for each hospital, such revenue to be

  7  determined by the agency department, based on the actual

  8  experience of the hospital as reported to the agency

  9  department.  Within 6 months after the end of each hospital

10  fiscal year, the agency department shall certify the amount of

11  the assessment for each hospital.  The assessment shall be

12  payable to and collected by the agency department in equal

13  quarterly amounts, on or before the first day of each calendar

14  quarter, beginning with the first full calendar quarter that

15  occurs after the agency department certifies the amount of the

16  assessment for each hospital. All moneys collected pursuant to

17  this subsection shall be deposited into the Public Medical

18  Assistance Trust Fund.

19         (3)  The agency department shall impose an

20  administrative fine, not to exceed $500 per day, for failure

21  of any hospital to pay its assessment by the first day of the

22  calendar quarter on which it is due.  The failure of a

23  hospital to pay its assessment within 30 days after the

24  assessment is due is ground for the agency department to

25  impose an administrative fine not to exceed $5,000 per day.

26         (4)  The purchaser, successor, or assignee of a

27  facility subject to the agency's board's jurisdiction shall

28  assume full liability for any assessments, fines, or penalties

29  of the facility or its employees, regardless of when

30  identified.  Such assessments, fines, or penalties shall be

31  paid by the employee, owner, or licensee who incurred them,

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  1  within 15 days of the sale, transfer, or assignment.  However,

  2  the purchaser, successor, or assignee of the facility may

  3  withhold such assessments, fines, or penalties from purchase

  4  moneys or payment due to the seller, transferor, or employee,

  5  and shall make such payment on behalf of the seller,

  6  transferor, or employee.  Any employer, purchaser, successor,

  7  or assignee who fails to withhold sufficient funds to pay

  8  assessments, fines, or penalties arising under the provisions

  9  of chapter 408 shall make such payments within 15 days of the

10  date of the transfer, purchase, or assignment.  Failure by the

11  transferee to make payments as provided in this subsection

12  shall subject such transferee to the penalties and assessments

13  provided in chapter 408.  Further, in the event of sale,

14  transfer, or assignment of any facility under the agency's

15  board's jurisdiction, future assessments shall be based upon

16  the most recently available prior year report or audited

17  actual experience for the facility.  It shall be the

18  responsibility of the new owner or licensee to require the

19  production of the audited financial data for the period of

20  operation of the prior owner.  If the transferee fails to

21  obtain current audited financial data from the previous owner

22  or licensee, the new owner shall be assessed based upon the

23  most recent year of operation for which 12 months of audited

24  actual experience are available or upon a reasonable estimate

25  of 12 months of full operation as calculated by the agency

26  board.

27         Section 10.  Subsection (1), paragraphs (e) and (f) of

28  subsection (3), subsection (6), and paragraphs (c) and (d) of

29  subsection (7) of section 408.05, Florida Statutes, are

30  amended to read:

31         408.05  State Center for Health Statistics.--

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  1         (1)  ESTABLISHMENT.--The agency department shall

  2  establish a State Center for Health Statistics.  The center

  3  shall establish a comprehensive health information system to

  4  provide for the collection, compilation, coordination,

  5  analysis, indexing, dissemination, and utilization of both

  6  purposefully collected and extant health-related data and

  7  statistics.  The center shall be staffed with public health

  8  experts, biostatisticians, information system analysts, health

  9  policy experts, economists, and other staff necessary to carry

10  out its functions.

11         (3)  COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEM.--In order

12  to produce comparable and uniform health information and

13  statistics, the agency shall perform the following functions:

14         (e)  The agency department shall establish by rule the

15  types of data collected, compiled, processed, used, or shared.

16  Decisions regarding center data sets should be made based on

17  consultation with the Comprehensive Health Information System

18  Advisory Council and other public and private users regarding

19  the types of data which should be collected and their uses.

20         (f)  The center shall establish standardized means for

21  collecting health information and statistics under laws and

22  rules administered by the agency department.

23         (6)  PROVIDER DATA REPORTING.--This section does not

24  confer on the agency department the power to demand or require

25  that a health care provider or professional furnish

26  information, records of interviews, written reports,

27  statements, notes, memoranda, or data other than as expressly

28  required by law.

29         (7)  BUDGET; FEES; TRUST FUND.--

30         (c)  The center may charge such reasonable fees for

31  services as the agency department prescribes by rule.  The

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  1  established fees may shall not exceed the reasonable cost for

  2  such services.  Fees collected may not be used to offset

  3  annual appropriations from the General Revenue Fund.

  4         (d)  The agency department shall establish a

  5  Comprehensive Health Information System Trust Fund as the

  6  repository of all funds appropriated to, and fees and grants

  7  collected for, services of the State Center for Health

  8  Statistics. Any funds, other than funds appropriated to the

  9  center from the General Revenue Fund, which are raised or

10  collected by the agency department for the operation of the

11  center and which are not needed to meet the expenses of the

12  center for its current fiscal year shall be available to the

13  agency board in succeeding years.

14         Section 11.  Subsections (10) and (11) of section

15  408.061, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

16         408.061  Data collection; uniform systems of financial

17  reporting; information relating to physician charges;

18  confidentiality of patient records; immunity.--

19         (10)  No health care facility, health care provider,

20  health insurer, or other reporting entity or its employees or

21  agents shall be held liable for civil damages or subject to

22  criminal penalties either for the reporting of patient data to

23  the agency board or for the release of such data by the agency

24  board as authorized by this chapter.

25         (11)  The agency shall be the primary source for

26  collection and dissemination of health care data.  No other

27  agency of state government may gather data from a health care

28  provider licensed or regulated under this chapter without

29  first determining if the data is currently being collected by

30  the agency and affirmatively demonstrating that it would be

31  more cost-effective for an agency of state government other

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  1  than the agency to gather the health care data.  The director

  2  secretary shall ensure that health care data collected by the

  3  divisions within the agency is coordinated. It is the express

  4  intent of the Legislature that all health care data be

  5  collected by a single source within the agency and that other

  6  divisions within the agency, and all other agencies of state

  7  government, obtain data for analysis, regulation, and public

  8  dissemination purposes from that single source. Confidential

  9  information may be released to other governmental entities or

10  to parties contracting with the agency to perform agency

11  duties or functions as needed in connection with the

12  performance of the duties of the receiving entity.  The

13  receiving entity or party shall retain the confidentiality of

14  such information as provided for herein.

15         Section 12.  Subsections (2) and (5) of section

16  408.062, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

17         408.062  Research, analyses, studies, and reports.--

18         (2)  The agency board shall evaluate data from nursing

19  home financial reports and shall document and monitor:

20         (a)  Total revenues, annual change in revenues, and

21  revenues by source and classification, including contributions

22  for a resident's care from the resident's resources and from

23  the family and contributions not directed toward any specific

24  resident's care.

25         (b)  Average resident charges by geographic region,

26  payor, and type of facility ownership.

27         (c)  Profit margins by geographic region and type of

28  facility ownership.

29         (d)  Amount of charity care provided by geographic

30  region and type of facility ownership.

31         (e)  Resident days by payor category.

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  1         (f)  Experience related to Medicaid conversion as

  2  reported under s. 408.061.

  3         (g)  Other information pertaining to nursing home

  4  revenues and expenditures.

  5

  6  The findings of the agency board shall be included in an

  7  annual report to the Governor and Legislature by January 1

  8  each year.

  9         (5)(a)  The agency may conduct data-based studies and

10  evaluations and make recommendations to the Legislature and

11  the Governor concerning exemptions, the effectiveness of

12  limitations of referrals, restrictions on investment interests

13  and compensation arrangements, and the effectiveness of public

14  disclosure.  Such analysis may include, but need not be

15  limited to, utilization of services, cost of care, quality of

16  care, and access to care. The agency may require the

17  submission of data necessary to carry out this duty, which may

18  include, but need not be limited to, data concerning

19  ownership, Medicare and Medicaid, charity care, types of

20  services offered to patients, revenues and expenses,

21  patient-encounter data, and other data reasonably necessary to

22  study utilization patterns and the impact of health care

23  provider ownership interests in health-care-related entities

24  on the cost, quality, and accessibility of health care.

25         (b)  The agency may collect such data from any health

26  facility as a special study. The board is directed to research

27  hospital financial and nonfinancial data in order to determine

28  the need for establishing a category of inpatient hospital

29  patients defined as medically indigent.  For purposes of this

30  section, a medically indigent patient is an individual who is

31  admitted as an inpatient to a hospital, who is not classified

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  1  as a Medicare beneficiary, a Medicaid recipient, or a charity

  2  care patient, but who has insufficient financial resources to

  3  pay for needed medical care. In its determination of the need

  4  for establishing a category of medically indigent patients,

  5  the board shall consider the creation of income and asset

  6  levels that would establish a person as medically indigent.

  7  The board shall submit a report and recommendations to the

  8  Governor and the Legislature on the establishment of a

  9  category of medically indigent inpatient hospital patients on

10  or before January 1, 1994.  If the board recommends the

11  establishment of a category of medically indigent patients, it

12  shall provide a specific recommendation for the eligibility

13  determination process to be used in classifying a patient as

14  medically indigent.

15         Section 13.  Subsection (1) of section 408.063, Florida

16  Statutes, is amended to read:

17         408.063  Dissemination of health care information.--

18         (1)  The agency, relying on data collected pursuant to

19  this chapter, shall establish a reliable, timely, and

20  consistent information system that which distributes

21  information and serves as the basis for the agency's board's

22  public education programs.  The agency shall seek advice from

23  consumers, health care purchasers, health care providers,

24  health care facilities, health insurers, and local health

25  councils in the development and implementation of its

26  information system. Whenever appropriate, the agency shall use

27  the local health councils for the dissemination of information

28  and education of the public.

29         Section 14.  Section 408.07, Florida Statutes, is

30  amended to read:

31

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  1         408.07  Definitions.--As used in this chapter, with the

  2  exception of ss. 408.031-408.045, the term:

  3         (1)  "Accepted" means that the agency board has found

  4  that a report or data submitted by a health care facility or a

  5  health care provider contains all schedules and data required

  6  by the agency board and has been prepared in the format

  7  specified by the agency board, and otherwise conforms to

  8  applicable rule or Florida Hospital Uniform Reporting System

  9  manual requirements regarding reports in effect at the time

10  such report was submitted, and the data are mathematically

11  reasonable and accurate.

12         (2)  "Adjusted admission" means the sum of acute and

13  intensive care admissions divided by the ratio of inpatient

14  revenues generated from acute, intensive, ambulatory, and

15  ancillary patient services to gross revenues.  If a hospital

16  reports only subacute admissions, then "adjusted admission"

17  means the sum of subacute admissions divided by the ratio of

18  total inpatient revenues to gross revenues.

19         (3)  "Agency" means the Agency for Health Care

20  Administration.

21         (4)  "Alcohol or chemical dependency treatment center"

22  means an organization licensed under chapter 397.

23         (5)  "Ambulatory care center" means an organization

24  which employs or contracts with licensed health care

25  professionals to provide diagnosis or treatment services

26  predominantly on a walk-in basis and the organization holds

27  itself out as providing care on a walk-in basis.  Such an

28  organization is not an ambulatory care center if it is wholly

29  owned and operated by five or fewer health care providers.

30         (6)  "Ambulatory surgical center" means a facility

31  licensed as an ambulatory surgical center under chapter 395.

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  1         (7)  "Applicable rate of increase" means the maximum

  2  allowable rate of increase (MARI) when applied to gross

  3  revenue per adjusted admission, unless the board has approved

  4  a different rate of increase, in which case the board-approved

  5  rate of increase shall apply.

  6         (7)(8)  "Audited actual data" means information

  7  contained within financial statements examined by an

  8  independent, Florida-licensed, certified public accountant in

  9  accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, but

10  does not include data within a financial statement about which

11  the certified public accountant does not express an opinion or

12  issues a disclaimer.

13         (9)  "Banked points" means the percentage points earned

14  by a hospital when the actual rate of increase in gross

15  revenue per adjusted admission (GRAA) is less than the maximum

16  allowable rate of increase (MARI) or the actual rate of

17  increase in the net revenue per adjusted admission (NRAA) is

18  less than the market basket index.

19         (8)(10)  "Birth center" means an organization licensed

20  under s. 383.305.

21         (11)  "Board" means the Health Care Board established

22  under s. 408.003.

23         (12)  "Budget" means the projections by the hospital,

24  for a specified future time period, of expenditures and

25  revenues, with supporting statistical indicators, or a budget

26  letter verified by the board pursuant to s. 408.072(3)(a).

27         (9)(13)  "Cardiac catheterization laboratory" means a

28  freestanding facility that which employs or contracts with

29  licensed health care professionals to provide diagnostic or

30  therapeutic services for cardiac conditions such as cardiac

31  catheterization or balloon angioplasty.

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  1         (10)(14)  "Case mix" means a calculated index for each

  2  health care facility or health care provider, based on patient

  3  data, reflecting the relative costliness of the mix of cases

  4  to that facility or provider compared to a state or national

  5  mix of cases.

  6         (11)(15)  "Clinical laboratory" means a facility

  7  licensed under s. 483.091, excluding:  any hospital laboratory

  8  defined under s. 483.041(5); any clinical laboratory operated

  9  by the state or a political subdivision of the state; any

10  blood or tissue bank where the majority of revenues are

11  received from the sale of blood or tissue and where blood,

12  plasma, or tissue is procured from volunteer donors and

13  donated, processed, stored, or distributed on a nonprofit

14  basis; and any clinical laboratory which is wholly owned and

15  operated by physicians who are licensed pursuant to chapter

16  458 or chapter 459 and who practice in the same group

17  practice, and at which no clinical laboratory work is

18  performed for patients referred by any health care provider

19  who is not a member of that same group practice.

20         (12)(16)  "Comprehensive rehabilitative hospital" or

21  "rehabilitative hospital" means a hospital licensed by the

22  agency for Health Care Administration as a specialty hospital

23  as defined in s. 395.002; provided that the hospital provides

24  a program of comprehensive medical rehabilitative services and

25  is designed, equipped, organized, and operated solely to

26  deliver comprehensive medical rehabilitative services, and

27  further provided that all licensed beds in the hospital are

28  classified as "comprehensive rehabilitative beds" pursuant to

29  s. 395.003(4), and are not classified as "general beds."

30         (13)(17)  "Consumer" means any person other than a

31  person who administers health activities, is a member of the

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  1  governing body of a health care facility, provides health

  2  services, has a fiduciary interest in a health facility or

  3  other health agency or its affiliated entities, or has a

  4  material financial interest in the rendering of health

  5  services.

  6         (14)(18)  "Continuing care facility" means a facility

  7  licensed under chapter 651.

  8         (15)(19)  "Cross-subsidization" means that the revenues

  9  from one type of hospital service are sufficiently higher than

10  the costs of providing such service as to offset some of the

11  costs of providing another type of service in the hospital.

12  Cross-subsidization results from the lack of a direct

13  relationship between charges and the costs of providing a

14  particular hospital service or type of service.

15         (16)(20)  "Deductions from gross revenue" or

16  "deductions from revenue" means reductions from gross revenue

17  resulting from inability to collect payment of charges.  For

18  hospitals, such reductions include contractual adjustments;

19  uncompensated care; administrative, courtesy, and policy

20  discounts and adjustments; and other such revenue deductions,

21  but also includes the offset of restricted donations and

22  grants for indigent care.

23         (17)(21)  "Diagnostic-imaging center" means a

24  freestanding outpatient facility that provides specialized

25  services for the diagnosis of a disease by examination and

26  also provides radiological services.  Such a facility is not a

27  diagnostic-imaging center if it is wholly owned and operated

28  by physicians who are licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or

29  chapter 459 and who practice in the same group practice and no

30  diagnostic-imaging work is performed at such facility for

31

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  1  patients referred by any health care provider who is not a

  2  member of that same group practice.

  3         (18)(22)  "FHURS" means the Florida Hospital Uniform

  4  Reporting System developed by the agency board.

  5         (19)(23)  "Freestanding" means that a health facility

  6  bills and receives revenue which is not directly subject to

  7  the hospital assessment for the Public Medical Assistance

  8  Trust Fund as described in s. 395.701.

  9         (20)(24)  "Freestanding radiation therapy center" means

10  a facility where treatment is provided through the use of

11  radiation therapy machines that are registered under s. 404.22

12  and the provisions of the Florida Administrative Code

13  implementing s. 404.22.  Such a facility is not a freestanding

14  radiation therapy center if it is wholly owned and operated by

15  physicians licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459 who

16  practice within the specialty of diagnostic or therapeutic

17  radiology.

18         (21)(25)  "GRAA" means gross revenue per adjusted

19  admission.

20         (22)(26)  "Gross revenue" means the sum of daily

21  hospital service charges, ambulatory service charges,

22  ancillary service charges, and other operating revenue.  Gross

23  revenues do not include contributions, donations, legacies, or

24  bequests made to a hospital without restriction by the donors.

25         (23)(27)  "Health care facility" means an ambulatory

26  surgical center, a hospice, a nursing home, a hospital, a

27  diagnostic-imaging center, a freestanding or hospital-based

28  therapy center, a clinical laboratory, a home health agency, a

29  cardiac catheterization laboratory, a medical equipment

30  supplier, an alcohol or chemical dependency treatment center,

31  a physical rehabilitation center, a lithotripsy center, an

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  1  ambulatory care center, a birth center, or a nursing home

  2  component licensed under chapter 400 within a continuing care

  3  facility licensed under chapter 651.

  4         (24)(28)  "Health care provider" means a health care

  5  professional licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter

  6  460, chapter 461, chapter 463, chapter 464, chapter 465,

  7  chapter 466, part I, part III, part IV, part V, or part X of

  8  chapter 468, chapter 483, chapter 484, chapter 486, chapter

  9  490, or chapter 491.

10         (25)(29)  "Health care purchaser" means an employer in

11  the state, other than a health care facility, health insurer,

12  or health care provider, who provides health care coverage for

13  her or his employees.

14         (26)(30)  "Health insurer" means any insurance company

15  authorized to transact health insurance in the state, any

16  insurance company authorized to transact health insurance or

17  casualty insurance in the state that is offering a minimum

18  premium plan or stop-loss coverage for any person or entity

19  providing health care benefits, any self-insurance plan as

20  defined in s. 624.031, any health maintenance organization

21  authorized to transact business in the state pursuant to part

22  I of chapter 641, any prepaid health clinic authorized to

23  transact business in the state pursuant to part II of chapter

24  641, any multiple-employer welfare arrangement authorized to

25  transact business in the state pursuant to ss. 624.436-624.45,

26  or any fraternal benefit society providing health benefits to

27  its members as authorized pursuant to chapter 632.

28         (27)(31)  "Home health agency" means an organization

29  licensed under part IV of chapter 400.

30         (28)(32)  "Hospice" means an organization licensed

31  under part VI of chapter 400.

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  1         (29)(33)  "Hospital" means a health care institution

  2  licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration as a

  3  hospital under chapter 395.

  4         (30)(34)  "Lithotripsy center" means a freestanding

  5  facility that which employs or contracts with licensed health

  6  care professionals to provide diagnosis or treatment services

  7  using electro-hydraulic shock waves.

  8         (31)(35)  "Local health council" means the agency

  9  defined in s. 408.033.

10         (32)(36)  "Market basket index" means the Florida

11  hospital input price index (FHIPI), which is a statewide

12  market basket index used to measure inflation in hospital

13  input prices weighted for the Florida-specific experience

14  which uses multistate regional and state-specific price

15  measures, when available.  The index shall be constructed in

16  the same manner as the index employed by the Secretary of the

17  United States Department of Health and Human Services for

18  determining the inflation in hospital input prices for

19  purposes of Medicare reimbursement.

20         (37)  "Maximum allowable rate of increase" or "MARI"

21  means the maximum rate at which a hospital is normally

22  expected to increase its average gross revenues per adjusted

23  admission for a given period.  The board, using the most

24  recent audited actual data for each hospital, shall calculate

25  the MARI for each hospital as follows:  The projected rate of

26  increase in the market basket index shall be divided by a

27  number which is determined by subtracting the sum of one-half

28  of the proportion of Medicare days plus one-half of the

29  proportion of CHAMPUS days plus the proportion of Medicaid

30  days plus 1.5 times the proportion of charity care days from

31

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  1  the number one. The formula to be employed by the board to

  2  calculate the MARI shall take the following form:

  3

  4                             FHIPI

  5  MARI =    (....................................)

  6  1-[(Me x 0.5) + (Cp x 0.5) + Md + (Cc x 1.5)]

  7

  8  where:

  9         MARI = maximum allowable rate of increase applied to

10  gross revenue.

11         FHIPI = Florida hospital input price index, which shall

12  be the projected rate of change in the market basket index.

13         Me = proportion of Medicare days, including when

14  available and reported to the board Medicare HMO days, to

15  total days.

16         Cp = proportion of Civilian Health and Medical Program

17  of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) days to total days.

18         Md = proportion of Medicaid days, including when

19  available and reported to the board Medicaid HMO days, to

20  total days.

21         Cc = proportion of charity care days to total days with

22  a 50-percent offset for restricted grants for charity care and

23  unrestricted grants from local governments.

24         (33)(38)  "Medical equipment supplier" means an

25  organization that which provides medical equipment and

26  supplies used by health care providers and health care

27  facilities in the diagnosis or treatment of disease.

28         (34)(39)  "Net revenue" means gross revenue minus

29  deductions from revenue.

30         (35)(40)  "New hospital" means a hospital in its

31  initial year of operation as a licensed hospital and does not

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  1  include any facility which has been in existence as a licensed

  2  hospital, regardless of changes in ownership, for over 1

  3  calendar year.

  4         (36)(41)  "Nursing home" means a facility licensed

  5  under s. 400.062 or, for resident level and financial data

  6  collection purposes only, any institution licensed under

  7  chapter 395 and which has a Medicare or Medicaid certified

  8  distinct part used for skilled nursing home care, but does not

  9  include a facility licensed under chapter 651.

10         (37)(42)  "Operating expenses" means total expenses

11  excluding income taxes.

12         (38)(43)  "Other operating revenue" means all revenue

13  generated from hospital operations other than revenue directly

14  associated with patient care.

15         (39)(44)  "Physical rehabilitation center" means an

16  organization that which employs or contracts with health care

17  professionals licensed under part I or part III of chapter 468

18  or chapter 486 to provide speech, occupational, or physical

19  therapy services on an outpatient or ambulatory basis.

20         (40)(45)  "Prospective payment arrangement" means a

21  financial agreement negotiated between a hospital and an

22  insurer, health maintenance organization, preferred provider

23  organization, or other third-party payor which contains, at a

24  minimum, the elements provided for in s. 408.50.

25         (41)(46)  "Rate of return" means the financial

26  indicators used to determine or demonstrate reasonableness of

27  the financial requirements of a hospital.  Such indicators

28  shall include, but not be limited to:  return on assets,

29  return on equity, total margin, and debt service coverage.

30         (42)(47)  "Rural hospital" means an acute care hospital

31  licensed under chapter 395, with 85 licensed beds or fewer,

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  1  which has an emergency room and is located in an area defined

  2  as rural by the United States Census, and which is:

  3         (a)  The sole provider within a county with a

  4  population density of no greater than 100 persons per square

  5  mile;

  6         (b)  An acute care hospital, in a county with a

  7  population density of no greater than 100 persons per square

  8  mile, which is at least 30 minutes of travel time, on normally

  9  traveled roads under normal traffic conditions, from another

10  acute care hospital within the same county; or

11         (c)  A hospital supported by a tax district or

12  subdistrict whose boundaries encompass a population of 100

13  persons or less per square mile.

14         (43)(48)  "Special study" means a nonrecurring

15  data-gathering and analysis effort designed to aid the agency

16  for Health Care Administration in meeting its responsibilities

17  pursuant to this chapter.

18         (44)(49)  "Teaching hospital" means any hospital

19  formally affiliated with an accredited medical school which

20  that exhibits activity in the area of medical education as

21  reflected by at least seven different resident physician

22  specialties and the presence of 100 or more resident

23  physicians.

24         Section 15.  Section 408.08, Florida Statutes, is

25  amended to read:

26         408.08  Inspections and audits; violations; penalties;

27  fines; enforcement.--

28         (1)  The agency may inspect and audit books and records

29  of individual or corporate ownership, including books and

30  records of related organizations with which a health care

31  provider or a health care facility had transactions, for

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  1  compliance with this chapter.  Upon presentation of a written

  2  request for inspection to a health care provider or a health

  3  care facility by the agency or its staff, the health care

  4  provider or the health care facility shall make available to

  5  the agency or its staff for inspection, copying, and review

  6  all books and records relevant to the determination of whether

  7  the health care provider or the health care facility has

  8  complied with this chapter.

  9         (2)  The board shall annually compare the audited

10  actual experience of each hospital to the audited actual

11  experience of that hospital for the previous year.

12         (a)  For a hospital submitting a budget letter, if the

13  board determines that the audited actual experience of the

14  hospital exceeded its previous year's audited actual

15  experience by more than the maximum allowable rate of increase

16  as certified in the budget letter plus any banked points

17  utilized in the budget letter, the amount of such excess shall

18  be determined by the board and a penalty shall be levied

19  against such hospital pursuant to subsection (3).

20         (b)  For a hospital subject to budget review, if the

21  board determines that the audited actual experience of the

22  hospital exceeded its previous year's audited actual

23  experience by more than the most recent approved budget or the

24  most recent approved budget as amended, the amount of such

25  excess shall be determined by the board, and a penalty shall

26  be levied against such hospital pursuant to subsection (3).

27         (c)  For a hospital submitting a budget letter and for

28  a hospital subject to budget review, the board shall annually

29  compare each hospital's audited actual experience for net

30  revenues per adjusted admission to the hospital's audited

31  actual experience for net revenues per adjusted admission for

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  1  the previous year.  If the rate of increase in net revenues

  2  per adjusted admission between the previous year and the

  3  current year was less than the market basket index, the

  4  hospital may carry forward the difference and earn up to a

  5  cumulative maximum of 3 banked net revenue percentage points.

  6  Such banked net revenue percentage points shall be available

  7  to the hospital to offset, in any future year, penalties for

  8  exceeding the approved budget or the maximum allowable rate of

  9  increase as set forth in subsection (3). Nothing in this

10  paragraph shall be used by a hospital to justify the approval

11  of a budget or a budget amendment by the board in excess of

12  the maximum allowable rate of increase pursuant to s. 408.072.

13         (3)  Penalties shall be assessed as follows:

14         (a)  For the first occurrence within a 5-year period,

15  the board shall prospectively reduce the current budget of the

16  hospital by the amount of the excess up to 5 percent; and, if

17  such excess is greater than 5 percent over the maximum

18  allowable rate of increase, any amount in excess of 5 percent

19  shall be levied by the board as a fine against such hospital

20  to be deposited in the Public Medical Assistance Trust Fund.

21         (b)  For the second occurrence with the 5-year period

22  following the first occurrence as set forth in paragraph (a),

23  the board shall prospectively reduce the current budget of the

24  hospital by the amount of the excess up to 2 percent; and, if

25  such excess is greater than 2 percent over the maximum

26  allowable rate of increase, any amount in excess of 2 percent

27  shall be levied by the board as a fine against such hospital

28  to be deposited in the Public Medical Assistance Trust Fund.

29         (c)  For the third occurrence within the 5-year period

30  following the first occurrence as set forth in paragraph (a),

31  the board shall:

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  1         1.  Levy a fine against the hospital in the total

  2  amount of the excess, to be deposited in the Public Medical

  3  Assistance Trust Fund.

  4         2.  Notify the agency of the violation, whereupon the

  5  agency shall not accept any application for a certificate of

  6  need pursuant to ss. 408.031-408.045 from or on behalf of such

  7  hospital until such time as the hospital has demonstrated to

  8  the satisfaction of the board that, following the date the

  9  penalty was imposed under subparagraph 1., the hospital has

10  stayed within its projected or amended budget or its

11  applicable maximum allowable rate of increase for a period of

12  at least 1 year.  However, this provision does not apply with

13  respect to a certificate-of-need application filed to satisfy

14  a life or safety code violation.

15         3.  Upon a determination that the hospital knowingly

16  and willfully generated such excess, notify the agency,

17  whereupon the agency shall initiate disciplinary proceedings

18  to deny, modify, suspend, or revoke the license of such

19  hospital or impose an administrative fine on such hospital not

20  to exceed $20,000.

21

22  The determination of the amount of any such excess shall be

23  based upon net revenues per adjusted admission, excluding

24  funds distributed to the hospital from the Public Medical

25  Assistance Trust Fund.  However, in making such determination,

26  the board shall appropriately reduce the amount of the excess

27  by the total amount of the assessment paid by such hospital

28  pursuant to s. 395.701 minus the amount of revenues received

29  by the hospital through the Public Medical Assistance Trust

30  Fund.  It is the responsibility of the hospital to demonstrate

31  to the satisfaction of the board its entitlement to such

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  1  reduction.  It is the intent of the Legislature that the

  2  Health Care Board, in levying any penalty imposed against a

  3  hospital for exceeding its maximum allowable rate of increase

  4  or its approved budget pursuant to this subsection, consider

  5  the effect of changes in the case mix of the hospital and in

  6  the hospital's intensity and severity of illness as measured

  7  by changes in the hospital's actual proportion of outlier

  8  cases to total cases and dollar increases in outlier cases'

  9  average charge per case.  It is the responsibility of the

10  hospital to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board any

11  change in its case mix and in its intensity and severity of

12  illness.  For psychiatric hospitals and other hospitals not

13  reimbursed under a prospective payment system by the Federal

14  Government, until a proxy for case mix is available, the board

15  shall also reduce the amount of excess by the change in a

16  hospital's audited actual average length of stay without any

17  thresholds or limitations.

18         (4)  The following factors may be used by the board to

19  reduce the amount of excess of the hospital as determined

20  pursuant to this section:

21         (a)  Unforeseen and unforeseeable events which affect

22  the net revenue per adjusted admission and which are beyond

23  the control of the hospital, such as prior year Medicare cost

24  report settlements, retroactive changes in Medicare

25  reimbursement methodology, and increases in malpractice

26  insurance premiums, which occurred in the last 3 months of the

27  hospital fiscal year during which the hospital generated the

28  excess; or

29         (b)  Imposition of the penalty would have a severe

30  adverse effect which would jeopardize the continued existence

31  of an otherwise economically viable hospital.

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  1         (5)  The board shall reduce the amount of the excess

  2  for hospitals submitting budget letters pursuant to s.

  3  408.072(3)(a) by the amount of any documented costs from

  4  financial assistance provided to expand or supplement the

  5  curriculum of a community college, university, or vocational

  6  training school for the purpose of training nurses or other

  7  health professionals, not including physicians.  Financial

  8  assistance would include, but not be limited to, the direct

  9  costs for faculty salaries and expenses, books, equipment,

10  recruiting efforts, tuition assistance, and hospital

11  internships.  The reduction would be based on actual

12  documented expenses increased by the gross revenues necessary

13  to generate net revenues sufficient to cover the expenses.

14         (6)  If the board finds that any hospital chief

15  executive officer or any person who is in charge of hospital

16  administration or operations has knowingly and willfully

17  allowed or authorized actual operating revenues or

18  expenditures that are in excess of projected operating

19  revenues or expenditures in the hospital's approved budget,

20  the board shall order such officer or person to pay an

21  administrative fine not to exceed $5,000.

22         (7)  For hospitals filing budget letters, the board

23  shall annually compare the audited actual experience of each

24  hospital for the year under review to the audited actual

25  experience of that hospital for the previous year.  For

26  hospitals which submitted detailed budgets or budget

27  amendments, the board shall compare the audited actual

28  experience of each hospital for the year under review to its

29  approved gross revenue per adjusted admission for the year

30  under review, for purposes of levying an administrative fine.

31

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  1         (a)  For a hospital submitting a budget letter pursuant

  2  to s. 408.072(3)(a), if the board determines that the audited

  3  actual experience for the year under review exceeded the

  4  hospital's previous year's audited actual experience by more

  5  than the maximum allowable rate of increase as certified in

  6  the budget letter plus any banked points utilized in the

  7  budget letter, the amount of the excess shall be determined

  8  and an administrative fine shall be levied against such

  9  hospital pursuant to subsection (8).

10         (b)  For a hospital which submitted a budget pursuant

11  to s. 408.072(1), or a budget amendment pursuant to s.

12  408.072(6), if the board determines that the gross revenue per

13  adjusted admission contained in the hospital's audited actual

14  experience exceeded its board-approved gross revenue per

15  adjusted admission, the amount of the excess shall be

16  determined and an administrative fine shall be levied against

17  such hospital pursuant to subsection (8).

18         (8)  If the board determines that an excess exists

19  pursuant to subsection (7), the board shall multiply the

20  excess by the number of actual adjusted admissions contained

21  in the year at issue to determine the amount of the base fine.

22  The base fine shall be multiplied by the applicable occurrence

23  factor to determine the amount of the administrative fine

24  levied against the hospital.

25         (a)  For the first occurrence within a 5-year period,

26  the applicable occurrence factor shall be 0.25.  For the

27  second occurrence within a 5-year period, the applicable

28  occurrence factor shall be 0.55.  For the third occurrence

29  within a 5-year period, the applicable occurrence factor shall

30  be 1.0.

31

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  1         (b)  In no event shall any administrative fine levied

  2  pursuant to this subsection exceed $365,000.

  3         (9)  In levying any administrative fine against a

  4  hospital pursuant to subsection (8), the board shall consider

  5  the effect of any changes in the hospital's case mix, and in

  6  the hospital's intensity and severity of illness as measured

  7  by changes in the hospital's actual proportion of outlier

  8  cases to total cases and dollar increases in outlier cases'

  9  average charge per case.  The board shall adjust the amount of

10  any excess by the changes in the hospital's case mix and in

11  its intensity and severity of illness, based upon certified

12  hospital patient discharge data provided to the board pursuant

13  to s. 408.061.  For psychiatric hospitals and other hospitals

14  not reimbursed under a prospective payment system by the

15  Federal Government, until a proxy for case mix is available,

16  the board shall adjust the amount of any excess by the change

17  in a hospital's audited actual average length of stay without

18  any thresholds or limitation.

19         (10)  In levying any administrative fine against a

20  hospital pursuant to subsection (8), it is the intent of the

21  Legislature that if a hospital can demonstrate to the

22  satisfaction of the board that it operated within its approved

23  gross revenue per adjusted admission for the first 8 months of

24  its fiscal year and did not increase its prices, except for

25  exceptions determined by the board during the last 5 months of

26  its fiscal year, it shall not be subject to any administrative

27  fine levied pursuant to subsection (8).

28         (11)  It is the further intent of the Legislature that

29  if a hospital can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board

30  that it did not increase its prices on average in excess of

31

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  1  the MARI for the prior year, it shall not be subject to any

  2  administrative fine levied pursuant to subsection (8).

  3         (12)  If the board finds that any hospital chief

  4  executive officer or any person who is in charge of hospital

  5  administration or operations has knowingly and willfully

  6  allowed or authorized gross revenue per adjusted admission,

  7  net revenue per adjusted admission, or rates of increase that

  8  are in excess of gross or net revenue per adjusted admission,

  9  or rates of increase in the hospital's approved budget, budget

10  amendment, or budget letter, the agency shall order such

11  officer or person to pay an administrative fine not to exceed

12  $5,000.

13         (2)(13)  Any health care facility that refuses to file

14  a report, fails to timely file a report, files a false report,

15  or files an incomplete report and upon notification fails to

16  timely file a complete report required under this section and

17  s. 408.061; that violates any provision of this section, s.

18  408.061, or s. 408.20, or rule adopted thereunder; or that

19  fails to provide documents or records requested by the agency

20  under the provisions of this chapter shall be punished by a

21  fine not exceeding $1,000 per day for each day in violation,

22  to be imposed and collected by the agency.

23         (3)(14)  Any health care provider that refuses to file

24  a report, fails to timely file a report, files a false report,

25  or files an incomplete report and upon notification fails to

26  timely file a complete report required under this section and

27  s. 408.061; that violates any provision of this section, s.

28  408.061, or s. 408.20, or rule adopted thereunder; or that

29  fails to provide documents or records requested by the agency

30  under the provisions of this chapter shall be referred to the

31

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  1  appropriate licensing board which shall take appropriate

  2  action against the health care provider.

  3         (4)(15)  If In the event that a health insurer does not

  4  comply with the requirements of s. 408.061, the agency shall

  5  report a health insurer's failure to comply to the Department

  6  of Insurance, which shall take into account the failure by the

  7  health insurer to comply in conjunction with its approval

  8  authority under s. 627.410.  The agency shall adopt any rules

  9  necessary to carry out its responsibilities required by this

10  subsection.

11         (5)(16)  Refusal to file, failure to timely file, or

12  filing false or incomplete reports or other information

13  required to be filed under the provisions of this chapter,

14  failure to pay or failure to timely pay any assessment

15  authorized to be collected by the agency, or violation of any

16  other provision of this chapter or lawfully entered order of

17  the agency or rule adopted under this chapter, shall be

18  punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000 a day for each day in

19  violation, to be fixed, imposed, and collected by the agency.

20  Each day in violation shall be considered a separate offense.

21         (6)(17)  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this

22  chapter, when a hospital alleges that a factual determination

23  made by the agency board is incorrect, the burden of proof

24  shall be on the hospital to demonstrate that such

25  determination is, in light of the total record, not supported

26  by a preponderance of the evidence. The burden of proof

27  remains with the hospital in all cases involving

28  administrative agency action.

29         Section 16.  Section 408.40, Florida Statutes, is

30  amended to read:

31

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  1         408.40  Budget review proceedings; duty of Public

  2  Counsel.--

  3         (1)  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this

  4  chapter, it shall be the duty of the Public Counsel shall to

  5  represent the general public of the state in any proceeding

  6  before the agency or its advisory panels in any administrative

  7  hearing conducted pursuant to the provisions of chapter 120 or

  8  before any other state and federal agencies and courts in any

  9  issue before the agency, any court, or any agency. With

10  respect to any such proceeding, the Public Counsel is subject

11  to the provisions of and may use utilize the powers granted to

12  him or her by ss. 350.061-350.0614.

13         (2)  The Public Counsel shall:

14         (a)  Recommend to the agency, by petition, the

15  commencement of any proceeding or action or to appear, in the

16  name of the state or its citizens, in any proceeding or action

17  before the agency and urge therein any position that which he

18  or she deems to be in the public interest, whether consistent

19  or inconsistent with positions previously adopted by the

20  agency, and use utilize therein all forms of discovery

21  available to attorneys in civil actions generally, subject to

22  protective orders of the agency, which shall be reviewable by

23  summary procedure in the circuit courts of this state.

24         (b)  Have access to and use of all files, records, and

25  data of the agency available to any other attorney

26  representing parties in a proceeding before the agency.

27         (c)  In any proceeding in which he or she has

28  participated as a party, seek review of any determination,

29  finding, or order of the agency, or of any administrative law

30  judge, or any hearing officer or hearing examiner designated

31  by the agency, in the name of the state or its citizens.

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  1         (d)  Prepare and issue reports, recommendations, and

  2  proposed orders to the agency, the Governor, and the

  3  Legislature on any matter or subject within the jurisdiction

  4  of the agency, and to make such recommendations as he or she

  5  deems appropriate for legislation relative to agency

  6  procedures, rules, jurisdiction, personnel, and functions.

  7         (e)  Appear before other state agencies, federal

  8  agencies, and state and federal courts in connection with

  9  matters under the jurisdiction of the agency, in the name of

10  the state or its citizens.

11         Section 17.  Paragraph (e) of subsection (10) and

12  subsection (14) of section 409.2673, Florida Statutes, are

13  amended to read:

14         409.2673  Shared county and state health care program

15  for low-income persons; trust fund.--

16         (10)  Under the shared county and state program,

17  reimbursement to a hospital for services for an eligible

18  person must:

19         (e)  Be conditioned, for tax district hospitals that

20  deliver services as part of this program, on the delivery of

21  charity care, as defined in the rules of the Agency for Health

22  Care Administration Health Care Cost Containment Board, which

23  equals a minimum of 2.5 percent of the tax district hospital's

24  net revenues; however, those tax district hospitals which by

25  virtue of the population within the geographic boundaries of

26  the tax district can not feasibly provide this level of

27  charity care shall assure an "open door" policy to those

28  residents of the geographic boundaries of the tax district who

29  would otherwise be considered charity cases.

30         (14)  Any dispute among a county, the Agency for Health

31  Care Administration Health Care Cost Containment Board, the

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  1  department, or a participating hospital shall be resolved by

  2  order as provided in chapter 120.  Hearings held under this

  3  subsection shall be conducted in the same manner as provided

  4  in ss. 120.569 and 120.57, except that the administrative law

  5  judge's or hearing officer's order constitutes final agency

  6  action. Cases filed under chapter 120 may combine all relevant

  7  disputes between parties.

  8         Section 18.  Section 409.9113, Florida Statutes, is

  9  amended to read:

10         409.9113  Disproportionate share program for teaching

11  hospitals.--In addition to the payments made under ss. 409.911

12  and 409.9112, the Agency for Health Care Administration

13  Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services shall make

14  disproportionate share payments to statutorily defined

15  teaching hospitals for their increased costs associated with

16  medical education programs and for tertiary health care

17  services provided to the indigent.  This system of payments

18  shall conform with federal requirements and shall distribute

19  funds in each fiscal year for which an appropriation is made

20  by making quarterly Medicaid payments.  Notwithstanding the

21  provisions of s. 409.915, counties are exempt from

22  contributing toward the cost of this special reimbursement for

23  hospitals serving a disproportionate share of low-income

24  patients.

25         (1)  On or before September 15 of each year, the Agency

26  for Health Care Administration shall calculate an allocation

27  fraction to be used for distributing funds to state statutory

28  teaching hospitals. Subsequent to the end of each quarter of

29  the state fiscal year, the agency department shall distribute

30  to each statutory teaching hospital, as defined in s. 408.07,

31  an amount determined by multiplying one-fourth of the funds

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  1  appropriated for this purpose by the Legislature times such

  2  hospital's allocation fraction.  The allocation fraction for

  3  each such hospital shall be determined by the sum of three

  4  primary factors, divided by three. The primary factors are:

  5         (a)  The number of nationally accredited graduate

  6  medical education programs offered by the hospital, including

  7  programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate

  8  Medical Education and the combined Internal Medicine and

  9  Pediatrics programs acceptable to both the American Board of

10  Internal Medicine and the American Board of Pediatrics at the

11  beginning of the state fiscal year preceding the date on which

12  the allocation fraction is calculated.  The numerical value of

13  this factor is the fraction that the hospital represents of

14  the total number of programs, where the total is computed for

15  all state statutory teaching hospitals.

16         (b)  The number of full-time equivalent trainees in the

17  hospital, which comprises two components:

18         1.  The number of trainees enrolled in nationally

19  accredited graduate medical education programs, as defined in

20  paragraph (a).  Full-time equivalents are computed using the

21  fraction of the year during which each trainee is primarily

22  assigned to the given institution, over the state fiscal year

23  preceding the date on which the allocation fraction is

24  calculated. The numerical value of this factor is the fraction

25  that the hospital represents of the total number of full-time

26  equivalent trainees enrolled in accredited graduate programs,

27  where the total is computed for all state statutory teaching

28  hospitals.

29         2.  The number of medical students enrolled in

30  accredited colleges of medicine and engaged in clinical

31  activities, including required clinical clerkships and

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  1  clinical electives.  Full-time equivalents are computed using

  2  the fraction of the year during which each trainee is

  3  primarily assigned to the given institution, over the course

  4  of the state fiscal year preceding the date on which the

  5  allocation fraction is calculated. The numerical value of this

  6  factor is the fraction that the given hospital represents of

  7  the total number of full-time equivalent students enrolled in

  8  accredited colleges of medicine, where the total is computed

  9  for all state statutory teaching hospitals.

10

11  The primary factor for full-time equivalent trainees is

12  computed as the sum of these two components, divided by two.

13         (c)  A service index that which comprises three

14  components:

15         1.  The Agency for Health Care Administration Health

16  Care Cost Containment Board Service Index, computed by

17  applying the standard Service Inventory Scores established by

18  the Agency for Health Care Administration Health Care Cost

19  Containment Board to services offered by the given hospital,

20  as reported on the Health Care Cost Containment Board

21  Worksheet A-2 for the last fiscal year reported to the agency

22  board before the date on which the allocation fraction is

23  calculated.  The numerical value of this factor is the

24  fraction that the given hospital represents of the total

25  Agency for Health Care Administration Health Care Cost

26  Containment Board Service Index values, where the total is

27  computed for all state statutory teaching hospitals.

28         2.  A volume-weighted service index, computed by

29  applying the standard Service Inventory Scores established by

30  the Agency for Health Care Administration Health Care Cost

31  Containment Board to the volume of each service, expressed in

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  1  terms of the standard units of measure reported on the Health

  2  Care Cost Containment Board Worksheet A-2 for the last fiscal

  3  year reported to the agency board before the date on which the

  4  allocation factor is calculated.  The numerical value of this

  5  factor is the fraction that the given hospital represents of

  6  the total volume-weighted service index values, where the

  7  total is computed for all state statutory teaching hospitals.

  8         3.  Total Medicaid payments to each hospital for direct

  9  inpatient and outpatient services during the fiscal year

10  preceding the date on which the allocation factor is

11  calculated.  This includes payments made to each hospital for

12  such services by Medicaid prepaid health plans, whether the

13  plan was administered by the hospital or not.  The numerical

14  value of this factor is the fraction that each hospital

15  represents of the total of such Medicaid payments, where the

16  total is computed for all state statutory teaching hospitals.

17

18  The primary factor for the service index is computed as the

19  sum of these three components, divided by three.

20         (2)  By October 1 of each year, the agency shall use

21  the following formula shall be utilized by the department to

22  calculate the maximum additional disproportionate share

23  payment for statutorily defined teaching hospitals:

24

25                          TAP = THAF x A

26

27  Where:

28         TAP = total additional payment.

29         THAF = teaching hospital allocation factor.

30         A = amount appropriated for a teaching hospital

31  disproportionate share program.

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  1

  2         (3)  The Health Care Cost Containment Board shall

  3  report to the department the statutory teaching hospital

  4  allocation fraction prior to October 1 of each year.

  5         Section 19.  Subsection (9) of section 395.403, Florida

  6  Statutes, subsection (3) of section 395.806, Florida Statutes,

  7  and sections 407.61, 408.003, 408.072, and 408.085, Florida

  8  Statutes, are repealed.

  9         Section 20.  The repeal of laws governing the review of

10  hospital budgets and related penalties contained in this act

11  operates retroactively and applies to any hospital budget

12  prepared for a fiscal year that ended during the 1996 calendar

13  year.

14         Section 21.  Subsection (6) of section 381.026, Florida

15  Statutes, is amended to read:

16         381.026  Florida Patient's Bill of Rights and

17  Responsibilities.--

18         (6)  SUMMARY OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.--Any

19  health care provider who treats a patient in an office or any

20  health care facility licensed under chapter 395 that provides

21  emergency services and care or outpatient services and care to

22  a patient, or admits and treats a patient, shall adopt and

23  make available to the patient public, in writing, a statement

24  of the rights and responsibilities of patients, including:

25

26              SUMMARY OF THE FLORIDA PATIENT'S BILL

27                  OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

28

29         Florida law requires that your health care provider or

30  health care facility recognize your rights while you are

31  receiving medical care and that you respect the health care

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  1  provider's or health care facility's right to expect certain

  2  behavior on the part of patients.  You may request a copy of

  3  the full text of this law from your health care provider or

  4  health care facility.  A summary of your rights and

  5  responsibilities follows:

  6         A patient has the right to be treated with courtesy and

  7  respect, with appreciation of his or her individual dignity,

  8  and with protection of his or her need for privacy.

  9         A patient has the right to a prompt and reasonable

10  response to questions and requests.

11         A patient has the right to know who is providing

12  medical services and who is responsible for his or her care.

13         A patient has the right to know what patient support

14  services are available, including whether an interpreter is

15  available if he or she does not speak English.

16         A patient has the right to know what rules and

17  regulations apply to his or her conduct.

18         A patient has the right to be given by the health care

19  provider information concerning diagnosis, planned course of

20  treatment, alternatives, risks, and prognosis.

21         A patient has the right to refuse any treatment, except

22  as otherwise provided by law.

23         A patient has the right to be given, upon request, full

24  information and necessary counseling on the availability of

25  known financial resources for his or her care.

26         A patient who is eligible for Medicare has the right to

27  know, upon request and in advance of treatment, whether the

28  health care provider or health care facility accepts the

29  Medicare assignment rate.

30

31

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  1         A patient has the right to receive, upon request, prior

  2  to treatment, a reasonable estimate of charges for medical

  3  care.

  4         A patient has the right to receive a copy of a

  5  reasonably clear and understandable, itemized bill and, upon

  6  request, to have the charges explained.

  7         A patient has the right to impartial access to medical

  8  treatment or accommodations, regardless of race, national

  9  origin, religion, physical handicap, or source of payment.

10         A patient has the right to treatment for any emergency

11  medical condition that will deteriorate from failure to

12  provide treatment.

13         A patient has the right to know if medical treatment is

14  for purposes of experimental research and to give his or her

15  consent or refusal to participate in such experimental

16  research.

17         A patient has the right to express grievances regarding

18  any violation of his or her rights, as stated in Florida law,

19  through the grievance procedure of the health care provider or

20  health care facility which served him or her and to the

21  appropriate state licensing agency.

22         A patient is responsible for providing to the health

23  care provider, to the best of his or her knowledge, accurate

24  and complete information about present complaints, past

25  illnesses, hospitalizations, medications, and other matters

26  relating to his or her health.

27         A patient is responsible for reporting unexpected

28  changes in his or her condition to the health care provider.

29         A patient is responsible for reporting to the health

30  care provider whether he or she comprehends a contemplated

31  course of action and what is expected of him or her.

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  1         A patient is responsible for following the treatment

  2  plan recommended by the health care provider.

  3         A patient is responsible for keeping appointments and,

  4  when he or she is unable to do so for any reason, for

  5  notifying the health care provider or health care facility.

  6         A patient is responsible for his or her actions if he

  7  or she refuses treatment or does not follow the health care

  8  provider's instructions.

  9         A patient is responsible for assuring that the

10  financial obligations of his or her health care are fulfilled

11  as promptly as possible.

12         A patient is responsible for following health care

13  facility rules and regulations affecting patient care and

14  conduct.

15         Section 22.  Section 381.0261, Florida Statutes, is

16  amended to read:

17         381.0261  Distribution of Summary of patient's bill of

18  rights; distribution; penalty.--

19         (1)  The Agency for Health Care Administration

20  Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services shall have

21  printed and made continuously available to health care

22  facilities licensed under chapter 395, physicians licensed

23  under chapter 458, osteopathic physicians licensed under

24  chapter 459, and podiatrists licensed under chapter 461 a

25  summary of the Florida Patient's Bill of Rights and

26  Responsibilities.  In adopting and making available to

27  patients public the summary of the Florida Patient's Bill of

28  Rights and Responsibilities, health care providers and health

29  care facilities are not limited to the format in which the

30  Agency for Health Care Administration Department of Health and

31  Rehabilitative Services prints and distributes the summary.

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  1         (2)  Health care providers and health care facilities,

  2  if requested, shall inform patients of the address and

  3  telephone number of each state agency responsible for

  4  responding to patient complaints about a health care provider

  5  or health care facility's alleged noncompliance with state

  6  licensing requirements established pursuant to law.

  7         (3)  Health care facilities shall adopt policies and

  8  procedures to ensure that inpatients are provided the

  9  opportunity during the course of admission to receive

10  information regarding their rights and how to file complaints

11  with the facility and appropriate state agencies.

12         (4)  An administrative fine may be imposed by the

13  agency when any health care provider or health care facility

14  fails to make available to patients a summary of their rights,

15  pursuant to ss. 381.026 and this section.  Initial nonwillful

16  violations shall be subject to corrective action and shall not

17  be subject to an administrative fine. The agency may levy a

18  fine against a health care facility of up to $5,000 for

19  nonwillful violations, and up to $25,000 for intentional and

20  willful violations. The agency may levy a fine against a

21  health care provider of up to $100 for nonwillful violations

22  and up to $500 for willful violations. Each intentional and

23  willful violation constitutes a separate violation and is

24  subject to a separate fine.

25         (5)  In determining the amount of fine to be levied for

26  a violation, as provided in subsection (4), the following

27  factors shall be considered:

28         (a)  The scope and severity of the violation, including

29  the number of patients found to not have received notice of

30  patient rights, and whether the failure to provide notice to

31  patients was willful.

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  1         (b)  Actions taken by the health care provider or

  2  health care facility to correct the violations or to remedy

  3  complaints.

  4         (c)  Any previous violations of this section by the

  5  health care provider or health care facility.

  6         Section 23.  Subsections (2) and (15) of section

  7  395.002, Florida Statutes, are repealed:

  8         395.002  Definitions.--As used in this chapter:

  9         (2)  "Adverse or untoward incident," for purposes of

10  reporting to the agency, means an event over which health care

11  personnel could exercise control, which is probably associated

12  in whole or in part with medical intervention rather than the

13  condition for which such intervention occurred, and which

14  causes injury to a patient, and which:

15         (a)  Is not consistent with or expected to be a

16  consequence of such medical intervention;

17         (b)  Occurs as a result of medical intervention to

18  which the patient has not given his or her informed consent;

19         (c)  Occurs as the result of any other action or lack

20  of any other action on the part of the hospital or personnel

21  of the hospital;

22         (d)  Results in a surgical procedure being performed on

23  the wrong patient; or

24         (e)  Results in a surgical procedure being performed

25  that is unrelated to the patient's diagnosis or medical needs.

26         (15)  "Injury," for purposes of reporting to the

27  agency, means any of the following outcomes if caused by an

28  adverse or untoward incident:

29         (a)  Death;

30         (b)  Brain damage;

31         (c)  Spinal damage;

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  1         (d)  Permanent disfigurement;

  2         (e)  Fracture or dislocation of bones or joints;

  3         (f)  Any condition requiring definitive or specialized

  4  medical attention which is not consistent with the routine

  5  management of the patient's case or patient's preexisting

  6  physical condition;

  7         (g)  Any condition requiring surgical intervention to

  8  correct or control;

  9         (h)  Any condition resulting in transfer of the

10  patient, within or outside the facility, to a unit providing a

11  more acute level of care;

12         (i)  Any condition that extends the patient's length of

13  stay; or

14         (j)  Any condition that results in a limitation of

15  neurological, physical, or sensory function which continues

16  after discharge from the facility.

17         Section 24.  Present subsections (3), (4), (5), and (7)

18  of section 395.0193, Florida Statutes, are amended, present

19  subsections (6), (7), (8), and (9) are renumbered as

20  subsections (7), (8), (9), and (10), respectively, and a new

21  subsection (6) is added to that section, to read:

22         395.0193  Licensed facilities; peer review;

23  disciplinary powers; agency or partnership with physicians.--

24         (3)  If reasonable belief exists that conduct by a

25  staff member or physician who delivers health care services at

26  the licensed facility may constitute one or more grounds for

27  discipline as provided in this subsection, a peer review panel

28  shall investigate and determine whether grounds for discipline

29  exist with respect to such staff member or physician.  The

30  governing board of any licensed facility, after considering

31  the recommendations of its peer review panel, shall suspend,

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  1  deny, revoke, or curtail the privileges, or reprimand,

  2  counsel, or require education, of any such staff member or

  3  physician after a final determination has been made that one

  4  or more of the following grounds exist:

  5         (a)  Incompetence.

  6         (b)  Being found to be a habitual user of intoxicants

  7  or drugs to the extent that he or she is deemed dangerous to

  8  himself, herself, or others.

  9         (c)  Mental or physical impairment which may adversely

10  affect patient care.

11         (d)  Being found liable by a court of competent

12  jurisdiction for medical negligence or malpractice involving

13  negligent conduct.

14         (e)  One or more settlements exceeding $10,000 for

15  medical negligence or malpractice involving negligent conduct

16  by the staff member.

17         (f)  Medical negligence other than as specified in

18  paragraph (d) or paragraph (e).

19         (g)  Failure to comply with the policies, procedures,

20  or directives of the risk management program or any quality

21  assurance committees of any licensed facility.

22

23  However, the grounds specified in paragraphs (a)-(g) are not

24  the only grounds for discipline of a practitioner. procedures

25  for such actions shall comply with the standards outlined by

26  the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare

27  Organizations, the American Osteopathic Association, the

28  Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, the

29  Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc.,

30  and the "Medicare/Medicaid Conditions of Participation," and

31

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  1  rules of the agency and the department.  The procedures shall

  2  be adopted pursuant to hospital bylaws.

  3         (4)  Pursuant to ss. 458.337 and 459.016, any

  4  disciplinary actions taken under subsection (3) shall be

  5  reported in writing to the Division of Health Quality

  6  Assurance of the agency within 30 working days after its

  7  initial occurrence, regardless of the pendency of appeals to

  8  the governing board of the hospital. The notification shall

  9  identify the disciplined practitioner, the action taken, and

10  the reason for such action. All final disciplinary actions

11  taken under subsection (3), if different than those which were

12  reported to the agency within 30 days after the initial

13  occurrence, shall be reported within 10 working days to the

14  Division of Health Quality Assurance of the agency in writing

15  and shall specify the disciplinary action taken and the

16  specific grounds therefor.  The division shall review each

17  report and determine whether it potentially involved conduct

18  by the licensee that is subject to disciplinary action, in

19  which case s. 455.225 shall apply. The reports are not report

20  shall not be subject to inspection under s. 119.07(1) even if

21  the division's investigation results in a finding of probable

22  cause.

23         (5)  There shall be no monetary liability on the part

24  of, and no cause of action for damages against, any licensed

25  facility, its governing board or governing board members, peer

26  review panel, medical staff, or disciplinary body, or its

27  agents, investigators, witnesses, or employees; a committee of

28  a hospital;, or any other person, for any action taken without

29  intentional fraud in carrying out the provisions of this

30  section.

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  1         (6)  For a single incident or series of isolated

  2  incidents that are nonwillful violations of the reporting

  3  requirements of this section, the agency shall first seek to

  4  obtain corrective action by the facility. If correction is not

  5  demonstrated within the timeframe established by the agency or

  6  if there is a pattern of nonwillful violations of this

  7  section, the agency may impose an administrative fine, not to

  8  exceed $5,000 for any violation of the reporting requirements

  9  of this section. The administrative fine for repeated

10  nonwillful violations shall not exceed $10,000 for any

11  violation. The administrative fine for each intentional and

12  willful violation may not exceed $25,000 per violation, per

13  day. The fine for an intentional and willful violation of this

14  section may not exceed $250,000. In determining the amount of

15  fine to be levied, the agency shall be guided by s.

16  395.1065(2)(b).

17         (8)(7)  The investigations, proceedings, and records of

18  the peer review panel, a committee of a hospital, a

19  disciplinary board, or a governing board, or agent thereof

20  with whom there is a specific written contract for that

21  purpose, as described in this section shall not be subject to

22  discovery or introduction into evidence in any civil or

23  administrative action against a provider of professional

24  health services arising out of the matters which are the

25  subject of evaluation and review by such group or its agent,

26  and a person who was in attendance at a meeting of such group

27  or its agent may not be permitted or required to testify in

28  any such civil or administrative action as to any evidence or

29  other matters produced or presented during the proceedings of

30  such group or its agent or as to any findings,

31  recommendations, evaluations, opinions, or other actions of

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  1  such group or its agent or any members thereof. However,

  2  information, documents, or records otherwise available from

  3  original sources are not to be construed as immune from

  4  discovery or use in any such civil or administrative action

  5  merely because they were presented during proceedings of such

  6  group, and any person who testifies before such group or who

  7  is a member of such group may not be prevented from testifying

  8  as to matters within his or her knowledge, but such witness

  9  may not be asked about his or her testimony before such a

10  group or opinions formed by him or her as a result of such

11  group hearings.

12         Section 25.  Section 395.0197, Florida Statutes, is

13  amended to read:

14         395.0197  Internal risk management program.--

15         (1)  Every licensed facility shall, as a part of its

16  administrative functions, establish an internal risk

17  management program that includes all of the following

18  components:

19         (a)  The investigation and analysis of the frequency

20  and causes of general categories and specific types of adverse

21  incidents causing injury to patients.

22         (b)  The development of appropriate measures to

23  minimize the risk of injuries and adverse incidents to

24  patients, including, but not limited to:

25         1.  Risk management and risk prevention education and

26  training of all nonphysician personnel as follows:

27         a.  Such education and training of all nonphysician

28  personnel as part of their initial orientation; and

29         b.  At least 1 hour of such education and training

30  annually for all nonphysician personnel of the licensed

31  facility working in clinical areas and providing patient care.

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  1         2.  A prohibition, except when emergency circumstances

  2  require otherwise, against a staff member of the licensed

  3  facility attending a patient in the recovery room, unless the

  4  staff member is authorized to attend the patient in the

  5  recovery room and is in the company of at least one other

  6  person.  However, a licensed facility hospital is exempt from

  7  the two-person requirement if it has:

  8         a.  Live visual observation;

  9         b.  Electronic observation; or

10         c.  Any other reasonable measure taken to ensure

11  patient protection and privacy.

12         (c)  The analysis of patient grievances that relate to

13  patient care and the quality of medical services.

14         (d)  The development and implementation of an incident

15  reporting system based upon the affirmative duty of all health

16  care providers and all agents and employees of the licensed

17  health care facility to report adverse incidents to the risk

18  manager, or to his or her designee, within 3 business days

19  after its occurrence.

20         (2)  The internal risk management program is the

21  responsibility of the governing board of the health care

22  facility. Each licensed facility shall hire a risk manager,

23  licensed under part IX of chapter 626, who is responsible for

24  implementation and oversight of such facility's internal risk

25  management program as required by this section.  A risk

26  manager must not be made responsible for more than four

27  internal risk management programs in separate licensed

28  facilities, unless the facilities are under one corporate

29  ownership or the risk management programs are in rural

30  hospitals.

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  1         (3)  In addition to the programs mandated by this

  2  section, other innovative approaches intended to reduce the

  3  frequency and severity of medical malpractice and patient

  4  injury claims shall be encouraged and their implementation and

  5  operation facilitated. Such additional approaches may include

  6  extending internal risk management programs to health care

  7  providers' offices and the assuming of provider liability by a

  8  licensed health care facility for acts or omissions occurring

  9  within the licensed facility.

10         (4)  The agency shall, after consulting with the

11  Department of Insurance, adopt rules governing the

12  establishment of internal risk management programs to meet the

13  needs of individual licensed facilities.  Each internal risk

14  management program shall include the use of incident reports

15  to be filed with an individual of responsibility who is

16  competent in risk management techniques in the employ of each

17  licensed facility, such as an insurance coordinator, or who is

18  retained by the licensed facility as a consultant.  The

19  individual responsible for the risk management program shall

20  have free access to all medical records of the licensed

21  facility.  The incident reports are part of the workpapers of

22  the attorney defending the licensed facility in litigation

23  relating to the licensed facility and are subject to

24  discovery, but are not admissible as evidence in court.  A

25  person filing an incident report is not subject to civil suit

26  by virtue of such incident report.  As a part of each internal

27  risk management program, the incident reports shall be used to

28  develop categories of incidents which identify problem areas.

29  Once identified, procedures shall be adjusted to correct the

30  problem areas.

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  1         (5)  For purposes of reporting to the agency pursuant

  2  to this section, the term "adverse incident" means an event

  3  over which health care personnel could exercise control and

  4  which is associated in whole or in part with medical

  5  intervention, rather than the condition for which such

  6  intervention occurred, and which:

  7         (a)  Results in one of the following injuries:

  8         1.  Death;

  9         2.  Brain or spinal damage;

10         3.  Permanent disfigurement;

11         4.  Fracture or dislocation of bones or joints;

12         5.  A resulting limitation of neurological, physical,

13  or sensory function which continues after discharge from the

14  facility;

15         6.  Any condition that required specialized medical

16  attention or surgical intervention resulting from nonemergency

17  medical intervention, other than an emergency medical

18  condition, to which the patient has not given his or her

19  informed consent; or

20         7.  Any condition that required the transfer of the

21  patient, within or outside the facility, to a unit providing a

22  more acute level of care due to the adverse incident, rather

23  than the patient's condition prior to the adverse incident;

24         (b)  Was the performance of a surgical procedure on the

25  wrong patient, a wrong surgical procedure, a wrong-site

26  surgical procedure, or a surgical procedure otherwise

27  unrelated to the patient's diagnosis or medical condition;

28         (c)  Required the surgical repair of damage resulting

29  to a patient from a planned surgical procedure, where the

30  damage was not a recognized specific risk, as disclosed to the

31

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  1  patient and documented through the informed-consent process;

  2  or

  3         (d)  Was a procedure to remove unplanned foreign

  4  objects remaining from a surgical procedure.

  5         (6)(5)(a)  Each licensed facility subject to this

  6  section shall submit an annual report to the agency

  7  summarizing the incident reports that have been filed in the

  8  facility for that year. The report shall include:

  9         1.  The total number of adverse incidents causing

10  injury to patients.

11         2.  A listing, by category, of the types of operations,

12  diagnostic or treatment procedures, or other actions causing

13  the injuries, and the number of incidents occurring within

14  each category.

15         3.  A listing, by category, of the types of injuries

16  caused and the number of incidents occurring within each

17  category.

18         4.  A code number using the health care professional's

19  licensure number and a separate code number identifying all

20  other individuals directly involved in adverse incidents

21  causing injury to patients, the relationship of the individual

22  to the licensed facility, and the number of incidents in which

23  each individual has been directly involved.  Each licensed

24  facility shall maintain names of the health care professionals

25  and individuals identified by code numbers for purposes of

26  this section.

27         5.  A description of all malpractice claims filed

28  against the licensed facility, including the total number of

29  pending and closed claims and the nature of the incident which

30  led to, the persons involved in, and the status and

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  1  disposition of each claim. Each report shall update status and

  2  disposition for all prior reports.

  3         6.  A report of all disciplinary actions pertaining to

  4  patient care taken against any medical staff member, including

  5  the nature and cause of the action.

  6         (b)  The information reported to the agency pursuant to

  7  paragraph (a) which relates to persons licensed under chapter

  8  458, chapter 459, chapter 461, or chapter 466 shall be

  9  reviewed by the agency.  The agency shall determine whether

10  any of the incidents potentially involved conduct by a health

11  care professional who is subject to disciplinary action, in

12  which case the provisions of s. 455.225 shall apply.

13         (c)  The report submitted to the agency shall also

14  contain the name and license number of the risk manager of the

15  licensed facility, a copy of its policy and procedures which

16  govern the measures taken by the facility and its risk manager

17  to reduce the risk of injuries and adverse or untoward

18  incidents, and the results of such measures.  The annual

19  report is confidential and is not available to the public

20  pursuant to s. 119.07(1) or any other law providing access to

21  public records. The annual report is not discoverable or

22  admissible in any civil or administrative action, except in

23  disciplinary proceedings by the agency or the appropriate

24  regulatory board.  The annual report is not available to the

25  public as part of the record of investigation for and

26  prosecution in disciplinary proceedings made available to the

27  public by the agency or the appropriate regulatory board.

28  However, the agency or the appropriate regulatory board shall

29  make available, upon written request by a health care

30  professional against whom probable cause has been found, any

31

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  1  such records which form the basis of the determination of

  2  probable cause.

  3         (7)  The licensed facility shall notify the agency no

  4  later than 1 business day after the risk manager or his or her

  5  designee has received a report pursuant to paragraph (1)(d)

  6  and is able to determine within 1 business day that any of the

  7  following adverse incidents has occurred, whether occurring in

  8  the licensed facility or arising from health care prior to

  9  admission in the licensed facility. Notification is not

10  required if the risk manager is unable to determine within 1

11  business day that any of the following incidents occurred:

12         (a)  The death of a patient;

13         (b)  Brain or spinal damage to a patient;

14         (c)  The performance of a surgical procedure on the

15  wrong patient;

16         (d)  The performance of a wrong-site surgical

17  procedure; or

18         (e)  The performance of a wrong surgical procedure.

19

20  The notification must be made in writing and be provided by

21  facsimile device or overnight mail delivery. The notification

22  must include information regarding the identity of the

23  affected patient, the type of adverse incident, the initiation

24  of an investigation by the facility, and whether the events

25  causing or resulting in the adverse incident represent a

26  potential risk to other patients.

27         (8)(6)  Any of the following adverse incidents, whether

28  occurring in the licensed facility or arising from health care

29  prior to admission in the licensed facility, shall be reported

30  by the facility to the agency within 15 calendar days after

31  its occurrence: If an adverse or untoward incident, whether

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  1  occurring in the licensed facility or arising from health care

  2  prior to admission in the licensed facility, results in:

  3         (a)  The death of a patient;

  4         (b)  Brain or spinal damage to a patient;

  5         (c)  The performance of a surgical procedure on the

  6  wrong patient; or

  7         (d)  The performance of a wrong-site surgical

  8  procedure;

  9         (e)  The performance of a wrong surgical procedure;

10         (f)  The performance of a surgical procedure that is

11  medically unnecessary or otherwise unrelated to the patient's

12  diagnosis or medical condition;

13         (g)  The surgical repair of damage resulting to a

14  patient from a planned surgical procedure, where the damage is

15  not a recognized specific risk, as disclosed to the patient

16  and documented through the informed-consent process; or

17         (h)  The performance of procedures to remove unplanned

18  foreign objects remaining from a surgical procedure.

19         (d)  A surgical procedure unrelated to the patient's

20  diagnosis or medical needs being performed on any patient,

21  including the surgical repair of injuries or damage resulting

22  from the planned surgical procedure, wrong site or wrong

23  procedure surgeries, and procedures to remove foreign objects

24  remaining from surgical procedures,

25

26  the licensed facility shall report this incident to the agency

27  within 15 calendar days after its occurrence. The agency may

28  grant extensions to this reporting requirement for more than

29  15 days upon justification submitted in writing by the

30  facility administrator to the agency. The agency may require

31  an additional, final report.  These reports shall not be

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  1  available to the public pursuant to s. 119.07(1) or any other

  2  law providing access to public records, nor be discoverable or

  3  admissible in any civil or administrative action, except in

  4  disciplinary proceedings by the agency or the appropriate

  5  regulatory board, nor shall they be available to the public as

  6  part of the record of investigation for and prosecution in

  7  disciplinary proceedings made available to the public by the

  8  agency or the appropriate regulatory board. However, the

  9  agency or the appropriate regulatory board shall make

10  available, upon written request by a health care professional

11  against whom probable cause has been found, any such records

12  which form the basis of the determination of probable cause.

13  The agency may investigate, as it deems appropriate, any such

14  incident and prescribe measures that must or may be taken in

15  response to the incident. The agency shall review each

16  incident and determine whether it potentially involved conduct

17  by the health care professional who is subject to disciplinary

18  action, in which case the provisions of s. 455.225 shall

19  apply.

20         (9)(7)  The internal risk manager of each licensed

21  facility shall:

22         (a)(b)  Investigate every allegation of sexual

23  misconduct which is made against a member of the facility's

24  personnel who has direct patient contact, when the allegation

25  is that the sexual misconduct occurred at the facility or on

26  the grounds of the facility; and

27         (b)(c)  Report every allegation of sexual misconduct to

28  the administrator of the licensed facility.

29         (c)(a)  Notify the family or guardian of the victim, if

30  a minor, that an allegation of sexual misconduct has been made

31  and that an investigation is being conducted;

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  1         (10)(8)  Any witness who witnessed or who possesses

  2  actual knowledge of the act that is the basis of an allegation

  3  of sexual abuse shall:

  4         (a)  Notify the local police; and

  5         (b)  Notify the hospital risk manager and the

  6  administrator.

  7

  8  For purposes of this subsection, "sexual abuse" means acts of

  9  a sexual nature committed for the sexual gratification of

10  anyone upon, or in the presence of, a vulnerable adult,

11  without the vulnerable adult's informed consent, or a minor.

12  "Sexual abuse" includes, but is not limited to, the acts

13  defined in s. 794.011(1)(h), fondling, exposure of a

14  vulnerable adult's or minor's sexual organs, or the use of the

15  vulnerable adult or minor to solicit for or engage in

16  prostitution or sexual performance. "Sexual abuse" does not

17  include any act intended for a valid medical purpose or any

18  act which may reasonably be construed to be a normal

19  caregiving action.

20         (11)(9)  A person who, with malice or with intent to

21  discredit or harm a licensed facility or any person, makes a

22  false allegation of sexual misconduct against a member of a

23  licensed facility's personnel is guilty of a misdemeanor of

24  the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s.

25  775.083.

26         (12)(10)  In addition to any penalty imposed pursuant

27  to this section, the agency shall require a written plan of

28  correction from the facility.  For a single incident or series

29  of isolated incidents that are nonwillful violations of the

30  reporting requirements of this section, the agency shall first

31  seek to obtain corrective action by the facility.  If the

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  1  correction is not demonstrated within the timeframe

  2  established by the agency or if there is a pattern of

  3  nonwillful violations of this section, the agency may impose

  4  an administrative fine, not to exceed $5,000 for any violation

  5  of the reporting requirements of this section.  The

  6  administrative fine for repeated nonwillful violations shall

  7  not exceed $10,000 for any violation.  The administrative fine

  8  for each intentional and willful violation may not exceed

  9  $25,000 per violation, per day.  The fine for an intentional

10  and willful violation of this section may not exceed $250,000.

11  In determining the amount of fine to be levied, the agency

12  shall be guided by s. 395.1065(2)(b) may impose an

13  administrative fine, not to exceed $5,000, for any violation

14  of the reporting requirements of this section.

15         (13)(11)  The agency shall have access to all licensed

16  facility records necessary to carry out the provisions of this

17  section.  The records obtained by the agency under subsection

18  (6), subsection (8), or subsection (9) are not available to

19  the public under s. 119.07(1), nor shall they be discoverable

20  or admissible in any civil or administrative action, except in

21  disciplinary proceedings by the agency or the appropriate

22  regulatory board, nor shall records obtained pursuant to s.

23  455.223 be available to the public as part of the record of

24  investigation for and prosecution in disciplinary proceedings

25  made available to the public by the agency or the appropriate

26  regulatory board. However, the agency or the appropriate

27  regulatory board shall make available, upon written request by

28  a health care professional against whom probable cause has

29  been found, any such records which form the basis of the

30  determination of probable cause, except that, with respect to

31  medical review committee records, s. 766.101 controls.

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  1         (14)(12)  The meetings of the committees and governing

  2  board of a licensed facility held solely for the purpose of

  3  achieving the objectives of risk management as provided by

  4  this section shall not be open to the public under the

  5  provisions of chapter 286. The records of such meetings are

  6  confidential and exempt from s. 119.07(1), except as provided

  7  in subsection (13)(11).

  8         (15)(13)  The agency shall review, as part of its

  9  licensure inspection process, the internal risk management

10  program at each licensed facility regulated by this section to

11  determine whether the program meets standards established in

12  statutes and rules, whether the program is being conducted in

13  a manner designed to reduce adverse incidents, and whether the

14  program is appropriately reporting incidents under subsections

15  (5), and (6), (7), and (8).

16         (16)(14)  There shall be no monetary liability on the

17  part of, and no cause of action for damages shall arise

18  against, any risk manager, licensed under part IX of chapter

19  626, for the implementation and oversight of the internal risk

20  management program in a facility licensed under this chapter

21  or chapter 390 as required by this section, for any act or

22  proceeding undertaken or performed within the scope of the

23  functions of such internal risk management program if the risk

24  manager acts without intentional fraud.

25         (17)(15)  If the agency, through its receipt of the

26  annual reports prescribed in subsection (6)(5) or through any

27  investigation, has a reasonable belief that conduct by a staff

28  member or employee of a licensed facility is grounds for

29  disciplinary action by the appropriate regulatory board, the

30  agency shall report this fact to such regulatory board.

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  1         (18)(16)  The agency shall annually publish a report

  2  summarizing the information contained in the annual incident

  3  reports submitted by licensed facilities pursuant to

  4  subsection (6) and disciplinary actions reported to the agency

  5  pursuant to s. 395.0193 any serious incident reports submitted

  6  by licensed facilities. The report must, at a minimum,

  7  summarize:

  8         (a)  Adverse and serious incidents, by service district

  9  of the department as defined in s. 20.19, by category of

10  reported incident, and by type of professional involved.

11         (b)  Types of malpractice claims filed, by service

12  district of the department as defined in s. 20.19, and by type

13  of professional involved.

14         (c)  Disciplinary actions taken against professionals,

15  by service district of the department as defined in s. 20.19,

16  and by type of professional involved.

17         Section 26.  Effective January 1, 1999, section

18  626.941, Florida Statutes, is renumbered as section 395.10971,

19  Florida Statutes.

20         Section 27.  Effective January 1, 1999, section

21  626.942, Florida Statutes, is renumbered as section 395.10972,

22  Florida Statutes, and amended to read:

23         395.10972 626.942  Health Care Risk Manager Advisory

24  Council.--The Director of Health Care Administration Insurance

25  Commissioner may appoint a five-member advisory council to

26  advise the agency department on matters pertaining to health

27  care risk managers.  The members of the council shall serve at

28  the pleasure of the director Insurance Commissioner. The

29  council shall designate a chair.  The council shall meet at

30  the call of the director Insurance Commissioner or at those

31  times as may be required by rule of the agency department.

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  1  The members of the advisory council shall receive no

  2  compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for

  3  travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061. The council shall

  4  consist of individuals representing the following areas:

  5         (1)  Two shall be active health care risk managers.

  6         (2)  One shall be an active hospital administrator.

  7         (3)  One shall be an employee of an insurer or

  8  self-insurer of medical malpractice coverage.

  9         (4)  One shall be a representative of the

10  health-care-consuming public.

11         Section 28.  Effective January 1, 1999, section

12  626.943, Florida Statutes, is renumbered as section 395.10973,

13  Florida Statutes, and amended to read:

14         395.10973 626.943  Powers and duties of the agency

15  department.--It is the function of the agency department to:

16         (1)  Adopt Promulgate rules necessary to carry out the

17  duties conferred upon it under this part to protect the public

18  health, safety, and welfare.

19         (2)  Develop, impose, and enforce specific standards

20  within the scope of the general qualifications established by

21  this part which must be met by individuals in order to receive

22  licenses as health care risk managers.  These standards shall

23  be designed to ensure that health care risk managers are

24  individuals of good character and otherwise suitable and, by

25  training or experience in the field of health care risk

26  management, qualified in accordance with the provisions of

27  this part to serve as health care risk managers, within

28  statutory requirements.

29         (3)  Develop a method for determining whether an

30  individual meets the standards set forth in s. 395.10974 s.

31  626.944.

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  1         (4)  Issue licenses, beginning on June 1, 1986, to

  2  qualified individuals meeting the standards set forth in s.

  3  395.10974 s. 626.944.

  4         (5)  Receive, investigate, and take appropriate action

  5  with respect to any charge or complaint filed with the agency

  6  department to the effect that a certified health care risk

  7  manager has failed to comply with the requirements or

  8  standards adopted by rule by the agency department or to

  9  comply with the provisions of this part.

10         (6)  Establish procedures for providing the Department

11  of Health and Rehabilitative Services with periodic reports on

12  persons certified or disciplined by the agency department

13  under this part.

14         (7)  Develop a model risk management program for health

15  care facilities which will satisfy the requirements of s.

16  395.0197.

17         Section 29.  Effective January 1, 1999, section

18  626.944, Florida Statutes, is renumbered as section 395.10974,

19  Florida Statutes, and amended to read:

20         395.10974 626.944  Qualifications for health care risk

21  managers.--

22         (1)  Any person desiring to be licensed as a health

23  care risk manager shall submit an application on a form

24  provided by the agency department.  In order to qualify, the

25  applicant shall submit evidence satisfactory to the agency

26  department which demonstrates the applicant's competence, by

27  education or experience, in the following areas:

28         (a)  Applicable standards of health care risk

29  management.

30         (b)  Applicable federal, state, and local health and

31  safety laws and rules.

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  1         (c)  General risk management administration.

  2         (d)  Patient care.

  3         (e)  Medical care.

  4         (f)  Personal and social care.

  5         (g)  Accident prevention.

  6         (h)  Departmental organization and management.

  7         (i)  Community interrelationships.

  8         (j)  Medical terminology.

  9

10  The agency department may require such additional information,

11  from the applicant or any other person, as may be reasonably

12  required to verify the information contained in the

13  application.

14         (2)  The agency department shall not grant or issue a

15  license as a health care risk manager to any individual unless

16  from the application it affirmatively appears that the

17  applicant:

18         (a)  Is 18 years of age or over;

19         (b)  Is a high school graduate or equivalent; and

20         (c)1.  Has fulfilled the requirements of a 1-year

21  program or its equivalent in health care risk management

22  training which may be developed or approved by the agency

23  department;

24         2.  Has completed 2 years of college-level studies

25  which would prepare the applicant for health care risk

26  management, to be further defined by rule; or

27         3.  Has obtained 1 year of practical experience in

28  health care risk management.

29         (3)  The agency department shall issue a license,

30  beginning on June 1, 1986, to practice health care risk

31  management to any applicant who qualifies under this section

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  1  and submits an application fee of not more than $75, a

  2  fingerprinting fee of not more than $75, and a license fee of

  3  not more than $100. The agency shall by rule establish fees

  4  and procedures for the issuance and cancellation of licenses.

  5  the license fee as set forth in s. 624.501.  Licenses shall be

  6  issued and canceled in the same manner as provided in part I

  7  of this chapter.

  8         (4)  The agency department shall renew a health care

  9  risk manager license upon receipt of a biennial renewal

10  application and fees. The agency shall by rule establish a

11  procedure for the biennial renewal of licenses in accordance

12  with procedures prescribed in s. 626.381 for agents in

13  general.

14         Section 30.  Effective January 1, 1999, section

15  626.945, Florida Statutes, is renumbered as section 395.10975,

16  Florida Statutes, and amended to read:

17         395.10975 626.945  Grounds for denial, suspension, or

18  revocation of a health care risk manager's license;

19  administrative fine.--

20         (1)  The agency department may, in its discretion,

21  deny, suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew or continue the

22  license of any health care risk manager or applicant, if it

23  finds that as to such applicant or licensee any one or more of

24  the following grounds exist:

25         (a)  Any cause for which issuance of the license could

26  have been refused had it then existed and been known to the

27  agency department.

28         (b)  Giving false or forged evidence to the agency

29  department for the purpose of obtaining a license.

30         (c)  Having been found guilty of, or having pleaded

31  guilty or nolo contendere to, a crime in this state or any

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  1  other state relating to the practice of risk management or the

  2  ability to practice risk management, whether or not a judgment

  3  or conviction has been entered.

  4         (d)  Having been found guilty of, or having pleaded

  5  guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony, or a crime involving

  6  moral turpitude punishable by imprisonment of 1 year or more

  7  under the law of the United States, under the law of any

  8  state, or under the law of any other country, without regard

  9  to whether a judgment of conviction has been entered by the

10  court having jurisdiction of such cases.

11         (e)  Making or filing a report or record which the

12  licensee knows to be false; or intentionally failing to file a

13  report or record required by state or federal law; or

14  willfully impeding or obstructing, or inducing another person

15  to impede or obstruct, the filing of a report or record

16  required by state or federal law. Such reports or records

17  shall include only those which are signed in the capacity of a

18  licensed health care risk manager.

19         (f)  Fraud or deceit, negligence, incompetence, or

20  misconduct in the practice of health care risk management.

21         (g)  Violation of any provision of this part or any

22  other law applicable to the business of health care risk

23  management.

24         (h)  Violation of any lawful order or rule of the

25  agency department or failure to comply with a lawful subpoena

26  issued by the department.

27         (i)  Practicing with a revoked or suspended health care

28  risk manager license.

29         (j)  Repeatedly acting in a manner inconsistent with

30  the health and safety of the patients of the licensed facility

31  in which the licensee is the health care risk manager.

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  1         (k)  Being unable to practice health care risk

  2  management with reasonable skill and safety to patients by

  3  reason of illness; drunkenness; or use of drugs, narcotics,

  4  chemicals, or any other material or substance or as a result

  5  of any mental or physical condition.  Any person affected

  6  under this paragraph shall have the opportunity, at reasonable

  7  intervals, to demonstrate that he or she can resume the

  8  competent practices of health care risk manager with

  9  reasonable skill and safety to patients.

10         (l)  Willfully permitting unauthorized disclosure of

11  information relating to a patient or a patient's records.

12         (m)  Discriminating in respect to patients, employees,

13  or staff on account of race, religion, color, sex, or national

14  origin.

15         (2)  If the agency department finds that one or more of

16  the grounds set forth in subsection (1) exist, it may, in lieu

17  of or in addition to suspension or revocation, enter an order

18  imposing one or more of the following penalties:

19         (a)  Imposition of an administrative fine not to exceed

20  $2,500 for each count or separate offense.

21         (b)  Issuance of a reprimand.

22         (c)  Placement of the licensee on probation for a

23  period of time and subject to such conditions as the agency

24  department may specify, including requiring the licensee to

25  attend continuing education courses or to work under the

26  supervision of another licensee.

27         (3)  The agency department may reissue the license of a

28  disciplined licensee in accordance with the provisions of this

29  part.

30         Section 31.  Subsection (1) of section 766.101, Florida

31  Statutes, is amended to read:

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  1         766.101  Medical review committee, immunity from

  2  liability.--

  3         (1)  As used in this section:

  4         (a)  The term "medical review committee" or "committee"

  5  means:

  6         1.a.  A committee of a hospital or ambulatory surgical

  7  center licensed under chapter 395 or a health maintenance

  8  organization certificated under part I of chapter 641,

  9         b.  A committee of a physician-hospital organization, a

10  provider-sponsored organization, or an integrated delivery

11  system,

12         c.b.  A committee of a state or local professional

13  society of health care providers,

14         d.c.  A committee of a medical staff of a licensed

15  hospital or nursing home, provided the medical staff operates

16  pursuant to written bylaws that have been approved by the

17  governing board of the hospital or nursing home,

18         e.d.  A committee of the Department of Corrections or

19  the Correctional Medical Authority as created under s.

20  945.602, or employees, agents, or consultants of either the

21  department or the authority or both,

22         f.e.  A committee of a professional service corporation

23  formed under chapter 621 or a corporation organized under

24  chapter 607 or chapter 617, which is formed and operated for

25  the practice of medicine as defined in s. 458.305(3), and

26  which has at least 25 health care providers who routinely

27  provide health care services directly to patients,

28         g.f.  A committee of a mental health treatment facility

29  licensed under chapter 394 or a community mental health center

30  as defined in s. 394.907, provided the quality assurance

31

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  1  program operates pursuant to the guidelines which have been

  2  approved by the governing board of the agency,

  3         h.g.  A committee of a substance abuse treatment and

  4  education prevention program licensed under chapter 397

  5  provided the quality assurance program operates pursuant to

  6  the guidelines which have been approved by the governing board

  7  of the agency,

  8         i.h.  A peer review or utilization review committee

  9  organized under chapter 440, or

10         j.i.  A committee of a county health department,

11  healthy start coalition, or certified rural health network,

12  when reviewing quality of care, or employees of these entities

13  when reviewing mortality records,

14

15  which committee is formed to evaluate and improve the quality

16  of health care rendered by providers of health service or to

17  determine that health services rendered were professionally

18  indicated or were performed in compliance with the applicable

19  standard of care or that the cost of health care rendered was

20  considered reasonable by the providers of professional health

21  services in the area; or

22         2.  A committee of an insurer, self-insurer, or joint

23  underwriting association of medical malpractice insurance, or

24  other persons conducting review under s. 766.106.

25         (b)  The term "health care providers" means physicians

26  licensed under chapter 458, osteopathic physicians licensed

27  under chapter 459, podiatrists licensed under chapter 461,

28  optometrists licensed under chapter 463, dentists licensed

29  under chapter 466, chiropractors licensed under chapter 460,

30  pharmacists licensed under chapter 465, or hospitals or

31  ambulatory surgical centers licensed under chapter 395.

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  1         Section 32.  Subsection (7) of section 394.4787,

  2  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  3         394.4787  Definitions.--As used in this section and ss.

  4  394.4786, 394.4788, and 394.4789:

  5         (7)  "Specialty psychiatric hospital" means a hospital

  6  licensed by the agency pursuant to s. 395.002(25) s.

  7  395.002(27) as a specialty psychiatric hospital.

  8         Section 33.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of section

  9  395.602, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

10         395.602  Rural hospitals.--

11         (2)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this part:

12         (c)  "Inactive rural hospital bed" means a licensed

13  acute care hospital bed, as defined in s. 395.002(12) s.

14  395.002(13), that is inactive in that it cannot be occupied by

15  acute care inpatients.

16         Section 34.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section

17  400.051, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

18         400.051  Homes or institutions exempt from the

19  provisions of this part.--

20         (1)  The following shall be exempt from the provisions

21  of this part:

22         (b)  Any hospital, as defined in s. 395.002(9) s.

23  395.002(10), that is licensed under chapter 395.

24         Section 35.  Subsection (8) of section 409.905, Florida

25  Statutes, is amended to read:

26         409.905  Mandatory Medicaid services.--The agency may

27  make payments for the following services, which are required

28  of the state by Title XIX of the Social Security Act,

29  furnished by Medicaid providers to recipients who are

30  determined to be eligible on the dates on which the services

31  were provided.  Any service under this section shall be

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  1  provided only when medically necessary and in accordance with

  2  state and federal law. Nothing in this section shall be

  3  construed to prevent or limit the agency from adjusting fees,

  4  reimbursement rates, lengths of stay, number of visits, number

  5  of services, or any other adjustments necessary to comply with

  6  the availability of moneys and any limitations or directions

  7  provided for in the General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.

  8         (8)  NURSING FACILITY SERVICES.--The agency shall pay

  9  for 24-hour-a-day nursing and rehabilitative services for a

10  recipient in a nursing facility licensed under part II of

11  chapter 400 or in a rural hospital, as defined in s. 395.602,

12  or in a Medicare certified skilled nursing facility operated

13  by a hospital, as defined by s. 395.002(9) s. 395.002(10),

14  that is licensed under part I of chapter 395, and in

15  accordance with provisions set forth in s. 409.908(2)(a),

16  which services are ordered by and provided under the direction

17  of a licensed physician.  However, if a nursing facility has

18  been destroyed or otherwise made uninhabitable by natural

19  disaster or other emergency and another nursing facility is

20  not available, the agency must pay for similar services

21  temporarily in a hospital licensed under part I of chapter 395

22  provided federal funding is approved and available.

23         Section 36.  Paragraph (g) of subsection (1) of section

24  440.13, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

25         440.13  Medical services and supplies; penalty for

26  violations; limitations.--

27         (1)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this section, the term:

28         (g)  "Emergency services and care" means emergency

29  services and care as defined in s. 395.002(9).

30         Section 37.  Subsection (9) of section 458.331, Florida

31  Statutes, is amended to read:

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  1         458.331  Grounds for disciplinary action; action by the

  2  board and department.--

  3         (9)  When an investigation of a physician is

  4  undertaken, the department shall promptly furnish to the

  5  physician or the physician's attorney a copy of the complaint

  6  or document which resulted in the initiation of the

  7  investigation.  For purposes of this subsection, such

  8  documents include, but are not limited to:  the pertinent

  9  portions of an annual report submitted to the department

10  pursuant to s. 395.0197(6) s. 395.0197(5)(b); a report of an

11  adverse or untoward incident which is provided to the

12  department pursuant to s. 395.0197(8) the provisions of s.

13  395.0197(6); a report of peer review disciplinary action

14  submitted to the department pursuant to the provisions of s.

15  395.0193(4) or s. 458.337, providing that the investigations,

16  proceedings, and records relating to such peer review

17  disciplinary action shall continue to retain their privileged

18  status even as to the licensee who is the subject of the

19  investigation, as provided by ss. 395.0193(8) 395.0193(7) and

20  458.337(3); a report of a closed claim submitted pursuant to

21  s. 627.912; a presuit notice submitted pursuant to s.

22  766.106(2); and a petition brought under the Florida

23  Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Plan, pursuant

24  to s. 766.305(2).  The physician may submit a written response

25  to the information contained in the complaint or document

26  which resulted in the initiation of the investigation within

27  45 days after service to the physician of the complaint or

28  document. The physician's written response shall be considered

29  by the probable cause panel.

30         Section 38.  Subsection (9) of section 459.015, Florida

31  Statutes, is amended to read:

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  1         459.015  Grounds for disciplinary action by the

  2  board.--

  3         (9)  When an investigation of an osteopathic physician

  4  is undertaken, the department shall promptly furnish to the

  5  osteopathic physician or his or her attorney a copy of the

  6  complaint or document which resulted in the initiation of the

  7  investigation. For purposes of this subsection, such documents

  8  include, but are not limited to:  the pertinent portions of an

  9  annual report submitted to the department pursuant to s.

10  395.0197(6) s. 395.0197(5)(b); a report of an adverse or

11  untoward incident which is provided to the department pursuant

12  to s. 395.0197(8) the provisions of s. 395.0197(6); a report

13  of peer review disciplinary action submitted to the department

14  pursuant to the provisions of s. 395.0193(4) or s. 459.016,

15  provided that the investigations, proceedings, and records

16  relating to such peer review disciplinary action shall

17  continue to retain their privileged status even as to the

18  licensee who is the subject of the investigation, as provided

19  by ss. 395.0193(8) 395.0193(7) and 459.016(3); a report of a

20  closed claim submitted pursuant to s. 627.912; a presuit

21  notice submitted pursuant to s. 766.106(2); and a petition

22  brought under the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury

23  Compensation Plan, pursuant to s. 766.305(2).  The osteopathic

24  physician may submit a written response to the information

25  contained in the complaint or document which resulted in the

26  initiation of the investigation within 45 days after service

27  to the osteopathic physician of the complaint or document. The

28  osteopathic physician's written response shall be considered

29  by the probable cause panel.

30         Section 39.  Subsection (1) of section 468.505, Florida

31  Statutes, is amended to read:

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  1         468.505  Exemptions; exceptions.--

  2         (1)  Nothing in this part may be construed as

  3  prohibiting or restricting the practice, services, or

  4  activities of:

  5         (a)  A person licensed in this state under chapter 457,

  6  chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter 461, chapter

  7  462, chapter 463, chapter 464, chapter 465, chapter 466,

  8  chapter 480, chapter 490, or chapter 491, when engaging in the

  9  profession or occupation for which he or she is licensed, or

10  of any person employed by and under the supervision of the

11  licensee when rendering services within the scope of the

12  profession or occupation of the licensee.;

13         (b)  A person employed as a dietitian by the government

14  of the United States, if the person engages in dietetics

15  solely under direction or control of the organization by which

16  the person is employed.;

17         (c)  A person employed as a cooperative extension home

18  economist.;

19         (d)  A person pursuing a course of study leading to a

20  degree in dietetics and nutrition from a program or school

21  accredited pursuant to s. 468.509(2), if the activities and

22  services constitute a part of a supervised course of study and

23  if the person is designated by a title that clearly indicates

24  the person's status as a student or trainee.;

25         (e)  A person fulfilling the supervised experience

26  component of s. 468.509, if the activities and services

27  constitute a part of the experience necessary to meet the

28  requirements of s. 468.509.;

29         (f)  Any dietitian or nutritionist from another state

30  practicing dietetics or nutrition incidental to a course of

31  study when taking or giving a postgraduate course or other

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  1  course of study in this state, provided such dietitian or

  2  nutritionist is licensed in another jurisdiction or is a

  3  registered dietitian or holds an appointment on the faculty of

  4  a school accredited pursuant to s. 468.509(2).;

  5         (g)  A person who markets or distributes food, food

  6  materials, or dietary supplements, or any person who engages

  7  in the explanation of the use and benefits of those products

  8  or the preparation of those products, if that person does not

  9  engage for a fee in dietetics and nutrition practice or

10  nutrition counseling.;

11         (h)  A person who markets or distributes food, food

12  materials, or dietary supplements, or any person who engages

13  in the explanation of the use of those products or the

14  preparation of those products, as an employee of an

15  establishment permitted pursuant to chapter 465.;

16         (i)  An educator who is in the employ of a nonprofit

17  organization approved by the council; a federal, state,

18  county, or municipal agency, or other political subdivision;

19  an elementary or secondary school; or an accredited

20  institution of higher education the definition of which, as

21  provided in s. 468.509(2), applies to other sections of this

22  part, insofar as the activities and services of the educator

23  are part of such employment.;

24         (j)  Any person who provides weight control services or

25  related weight control products, provided the program has been

26  reviewed by, consultation is available from, and no program

27  change can be initiated without prior approval by a licensed

28  dietitian/nutritionist, a dietitian or nutritionist licensed

29  in another state that has licensure requirements considered by

30  the council to be at least as stringent as the requirements

31  for licensure under this part, or a registered dietitian.;

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  1         (k)  A person employed by a hospital licensed under

  2  chapter 395, or by a nursing home or assisted living facility

  3  licensed under part II or part III of chapter 400, or by a

  4  continuing care facility certified under chapter 651, if the

  5  person is employed in compliance with the laws and rules

  6  adopted thereunder regarding the operation of its dietetic

  7  department.;

  8         (l)  A person employed by a nursing facility exempt

  9  from licensing under s. 395.002(11) s. 395.002(12), or a

10  person exempt from licensing under s. 464.022.; or

11         (m)  A person employed as a dietetic technician.

12         Section 40.  Effective January 1, 1999, subsection (2)

13  of section 641.55, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

14         641.55  Internal risk management program.--

15         (2)  The risk management program shall be the

16  responsibility of the governing authority or board of the

17  organization. Every organization which has an annual premium

18  volume of $10 million or more and which directly provides

19  health care in a building owned or leased by the organization

20  shall hire a risk manager, certified under ss.

21  395.10971-395.10975 ss. 626.941-626.945, who shall be

22  responsible for implementation of the organization's risk

23  management program required by this section.  A part-time risk

24  manager shall not be responsible for risk management programs

25  in more than four organizations or facilities. Every

26  organization which does not directly provide health care in a

27  building owned or leased by the organization and every

28  organization with an annual premium volume of less than $10

29  million shall designate an officer or employee of the

30  organization to serve as the risk manager.

31

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  1  The gross data compiled under this section or s. 395.0197

  2  shall be furnished by the agency upon request to organizations

  3  to be utilized for risk management purposes.  The agency shall

  4  adopt rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this

  5  section.

  6         Section 41.  Paragraph (c) of subsection (4) of section

  7  766.1115, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  8         766.1115  Health care providers; creation of agency

  9  relationship with governmental contractors.--

10         (4)  CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS.--A health care provider

11  that executes a contract with a governmental contractor to

12  deliver health care services on or after April 17, 1992, as an

13  agent of the governmental contractor is an agent for purposes

14  of s. 768.28(9), while acting within the scope of duties

15  pursuant to the contract, if the contract complies with the

16  requirements of this section.  A health care provider under

17  contract with the state may not be named as a defendant in any

18  action arising out of the medical care or treatment provided

19  on or after April 17, 1992, pursuant to contracts entered into

20  under this section.  The contract must provide that:

21         (c)  Adverse incidents and information on treatment

22  outcomes must be reported by any health care provider to the

23  governmental contractor if such incidents and information

24  pertain to a patient treated pursuant to the contract. The

25  health care provider shall annually submit an adverse incident

26  report that includes all information required by s.

27  395.0197(6)(a) s. 395.0197(5)(a), unless the adverse incident

28  involves a result described by s. 395.0197(8) s. 395.0197(6),

29  in which case it shall be reported within 15 days after of the

30  occurrence of such incident. If an incident involves a

31  professional licensed by the Department of Health Business and

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  1  Professional Regulation or a facility licensed by the Agency

  2  for Health Care Administration Department of Health and

  3  Rehabilitative Services, the governmental contractor shall

  4  submit such incident reports to the appropriate department or

  5  agency, which shall review each incident and determine whether

  6  it involves conduct by the licensee that is subject to

  7  disciplinary action. All patient medical records and any

  8  identifying information contained in adverse incident reports

  9  and treatment outcomes which are obtained by governmental

10  entities pursuant to this paragraph are confidential and

11  exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art.

12  I of the State Constitution.

13

14  A governmental contractor that is also a health care provider

15  is not required to enter into a contract under this section

16  with respect to the health care services delivered by its

17  employees.

18         Section 42.  Effective January 1, 1999, all powers,

19  duties and functions, rules, records, personnel, property, and

20  unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, or other

21  funds of the Department of Insurance related to the health

22  care risk manager licensure program, as established in part IX

23  of chapter 626, Florida Statutes, are transferred by a type

24  two transfer, as defined in section 20.06(2), Florida

25  Statutes, from the Department of Insurance to the Agency for

26  Health Care Administration.

27         Section 43.  The sum of $100,281 is appropriated from

28  the Health Care Trust Fund to the Agency for Health Care

29  Administration, and one full-time position is authorized, to

30  administer the provisions of this act.

31

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  1         Section 44.  Except as otherwise expressly provided in

  2  this act, this act shall take effect July 1, 1998.

  3

  4          STATEMENT OF SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES CONTAINED IN
                       COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
  5                              SB 314

  6

  7  Changes the applicability of the repeal of hospital budget
    review from hospital budgets ending in 1995 to hospital
  8  budgets ending in 1996.

  9  Clarifies that all outpatient facilities that provide surgical
    treatments requiring general anesthesia or IV conscious
10  sedation, that provide cardiac catheterization services, or
    that are to be licensed as ambulatory surgical centers must
11  submit plans and specifications to AHCA for review. All other
    outpatient facilities must be reviewed, except that plans and
12  specifications relating to the construction or alteration of
    outpatient facilities that are physically detached from the
13  hospital on whose campus it is located, have no utility
    connections with the hospital, and do not block emergency
14  egress from or create a fire hazard to the hospital are made
    exempt from review.
15
    The effective date of authority for the Agency for Health Care
16  Administration to enforce emergency preparedness requirements
    applicable to new facilities and new wings and floors added to
17  existing facilities is changed from July 1, 1998 to July 1,
    1999. Restrictions on use of hospitals as emergency shelters
18  are expanded to include families of patients. Also, the date
    by which the Agency for Health Care Administration must report
19  to the Governor and Legislature its recommendations for
    cost-effective renovation standards for existing health care
20  facilities is changed from March 1, 1999, to April 1, 1998.

21  The Florida Patients Bill of Rights and Responsibilities is
    further amended to require health care providers and health
22  care facilities to inform patients of the telephone number and
    address of each state agency responsible for responding to
23  patient complaints only if requested. Penalties against health
    care providers for failure to provide patients with a summary
24  of the rights are reduced to up to $100 for nonwillful
    violations and up to $500 for willful violations. The $5,000
25  and $25,000 limits remain applicable to health care
    facilities.
26
    Amends s. 766.101, F.S., relating to medical review committees
27  to provide for protection from liability for medical review
    committees and committees of physician-hospital organizations,
28  provider-sponsored organizations, and integrated delivery
    systems.
29
    Appropriates $100,281 from the Health Care Trust Fund to the
30  Agency for Health Care Administration and authorizes one
    full-time equivalent position for the agency.
31

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