| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the Primary Care Access Network; |
| 3 | creating a pilot program to provide extended operating |
| 4 | hours for the purpose of offering health care services at |
| 5 | overcrowded clinics in the Primary Care Access Network in |
| 6 | Orange and Pasco Counties; directing the Agency for Health |
| 7 | Care Administration to establish the pilot program in |
| 8 | Orange and Pasco Counties; requiring the agency to develop |
| 9 | procedures for operating the pilot program; requiring the |
| 10 | agency to submit a report with recommendations to the |
| 11 | Governor and the Legislature by a specified date; |
| 12 | providing an appropriation; providing an effective date. |
| 13 |
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| 14 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 15 |
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| 16 | Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that the Primary |
| 17 | Care Access Network (PCAN) was founded to address the needs of |
| 18 | the uninsured and those who are medically needy by providing a |
| 19 | system of service delivery that builds upon the strengths of its |
| 20 | current health provider partners. There has been an average 32- |
| 21 | percent decrease in nonurgent emergency room services used by |
| 22 | the uninsured in areas where one of the clinics is in operation. |
| 23 | In accordance with these findings, the Agency for Health Care |
| 24 | Administration shall establish a 2-year pilot program in Orange |
| 25 | and Pasco Counties to offer health care services during the |
| 26 | weekend and after regular business hours during the week. |
| 27 | (2) To the extent that funding is available, the pilot |
| 28 | program shall provide funds to operate the PCAN clinics during |
| 29 | the extended hours that the clinics are open and to pay the |
| 30 | employees of those clinics accordingly. |
| 31 | (3) The agency shall develop procedures for operating the |
| 32 | pilot program. |
| 33 | (4) Each January 1, for the duration of the pilot program, |
| 34 | the agency shall submit to the Governor, the President of the |
| 35 | Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives an |
| 36 | annual report on the success and outcomes achieved by the pilot |
| 37 | program, which must include a recommendation as to whether the |
| 38 | pilot program should be continued, terminated, or expanded. |
| 39 | Section 2. The sum of $2.3 million is appropriated from |
| 40 | the General Revenue Fund to the Agency for Health Care |
| 41 | Administration for the purpose of implementing this act during |
| 42 | the 2007-2008 fiscal year. |
| 43 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007. |