HB 1087

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to radiologists performing mammograms;
3	providing legislative findings; providing for studies;
4	providing for membership of a workgroup; providing for
5	reports; providing an effective date.
6
7	WHEREAS, breast cancer is the second leading cause of
8	cancer deaths in women, and
9	WHEREAS, mammography is an imperfect screening test but the
10	best tool available to detect breast cancer, and
11	WHEREAS, early detection of breast cancer decreases
12	mortality by 30 percent, and
13	WHEREAS, the population of women who will need screening is
14	increasing, NOW, THEREFORE,
15
16	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18	Section 1.  The Legislature finds that it is of the utmost
19	public importance that quality mammography services and other
20	diagnostic tools remain available to detect and treat breast
21	cancer. The Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government
22	Accountability and the Department of Health shall study issues
23	relating to the availability utilization, quality, and cost of
24	mammography services in all facilities performing mammography.
25	The study shall include, but need not be limited to, examining
26	the following factors that impact availability utilization,
27	quality, and cost: reimbursement fees, copayment fees paid by
28	patients, incidence of lawsuits filed, equipment and liability
29	insurance costs and insurance availability, equipment
30	maintenance and calibration, staffing requirements and training,
31	type and number of facilities performing mammography, facilities
32	surveyed by the Bureau of Radiation Control of the Department of
33	Health, population density of females aged 40 and older in each
34	county, and other factors that relate to the demand and
35	availability of mammography service. The Office of Program
36	Policy Analysis and Government Accountability shall complete its
37	study and submit its report to the Legislature by December 15,
38	2004.
39	(1)  There is also created the Workgroup on Mammography
40	Accessibility within the Department of Health. The workgroup
41	shall study:
42	(a)  The availability, quality of care, and accessibility
43	of mammography in this state.
44	(b)  The need for research and educational facilities,
45	including facilities with institutional training programs and
46	community training programs for doctors of radiological medicine
47	at the student, internship, and residency levels.
48	(c)  The availability of resources, including health
49	personnel and management personnel for mammography programs.
50	(d)  The patient wait times for screening and diagnostic
51	mammography.
52	(2)  The workgroup shall consist of 13 members and be
53	staffed by the Department of Health. It shall be chaired by the
54	Secretary of Health or his or her designee. The remaining 12
55	members shall be appointed as follows: the Governor shall
56	appoint four members, the President of the Senate shall appoint
57	four members, one of whom shall be a member of the Senate, and
58	the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint four
59	members, one of whom shall be a member of the House of
60	Representatives. The Governor's appointees and the Legislature's
61	appointees who are not members of the Legislature must have a
62	background in mammography by either practicing or teaching or
63	both as a physician in the field of mammography, insuring
64	mammography health care providers, or trying or defending
65	medical malpractice cases as an attorney.
66	(3)  By December 15, 2004, the department shall submit a
67	report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker
68	of the House of Representatives, and the substantive legislative
69	committees which provides the findings of the workgroup and
70	recommendations for legislative action.
71	Section 2.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.