HB 793

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to infant eye care; amending s. 383.04,
3	F.S.; requiring certain eye examinations for all infants
4	born in hospitals in the state; exempting this requirement
5	from s. 383.07, F.S., relating to a penalty; revising an
6	exception to certain applicability requirements concerning
7	infant eye care; amending ss. 627.6416 and 641.31, F.S.;
8	providing that coverage for children under health
9	insurance policies and health maintenance organization
10	contracts must include certain eye examinations for
11	infants and children; providing an effective date.
12
13	WHEREAS, it is the policy of the state to make every effort
14	to detect pediatric congenital ocular abnormalities that lead to
15	premature death, blindness, or vision impairment unless treated
16	soon after birth, and
17	WHEREAS, treatable congenital ocular diseases occur
18	frequently and require increased early detection efforts, and
19	WHEREAS, early detection significantly enhances the ability
20	to prevent serious damage from congenital abnormalities of the
21	eye which, left undetected and untreated, may result in
22	blindness or life-threatening diseases, or both, and
23	WHEREAS, retinoblastoma is a childhood cancer arising in
24	immature retinal cells inside the eye and accounts for
25	approximately 13 percent of all cancers in infants and most
26	children are diagnosed before they are two and one-half years of
27	age, and
28	WHEREAS, increased emphasis on optimal examination methods
29	for newborns, such as dilation of the eye with eye drops,
30	darkened examination rooms, and the use of an ophthalmoscope
31	would facilitate detection of the abnormal disease process
32	inside the eye of the newborn, and
33	WHEREAS, early detection and referral of an abnormal red
34	reflex pupillary screen would allow early diagnosis of
35	congenital cataract or retinoblastoma which, if recognized and
36	treated as soon as possible after birth, could prevent long-term
37	disability, and
38	WHEREAS, early diagnosis and intervention can reduce the
39	number of visually impaired citizens and reduce the amount of
40	public expenditures for health care, special education, and
41	related services, NOW, THEREFORE,
42
43	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
44
45	Section 1.  Section 383.04, Florida Statutes, is amended to
46	read:
47	383.04  Prophylactic required for eyes of infants.-Every
48	physician, midwife, or other person in attendance at the birth
49	of a child in the state shall is required to instill or have
50	instilled into the eyes of the baby within 1 hour after birth an
51	effective prophylactic recommended by the Committee on
52	Infectious Diseases of the American Academy of Pediatrics for
53	the prevention of neonatal ophthalmia. In addition, each baby
54	born in a hospital in the state must, before being discharged
55	from the hospital, receive an eye examination using an
56	ophthalmoscope and dilation of the pupils for detection of
57	pediatric congenital and ocular abnormalities; however, this
58	requirement is not subject to s. 383.07. This section does not
59	apply to cases where the parents file a written objection with
60	the physician, midwife, or other person in attendance at the
61	birth of a child written objections on account of religious
62	beliefs contrary to the use of drugs. In such case the
63	physician, midwife, or other person in attendance shall maintain
64	a record that such measures were or were not employed and attach
65	thereto any written objection.
66	Section 2.  Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section
67	627.6416, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
68	627.6416  Coverage for child health supervision services.-
69	(2)  As used in this section, the term "child health
70	supervision services" means physician-delivered or physician-
71	supervised services that include, at a minimum, services
72	delivered at the intervals and scope stated in this section.
73	(a)  Child health supervision services must include
74	periodic visits that which shall include a history;, a physical
75	examination;, a developmental assessment and anticipatory
76	guidance;, and appropriate immunizations and laboratory tests;
77	and eye examinations at birth, using an ophthalmoscope and
78	dilation of the pupils for detection of pediatric congenital and
79	ocular abnormalities and developmental abnormalities. Such
80	services and periodic visits shall be provided in accordance
81	with prevailing medical standards consistent with the
82	Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care of the
83	American Academy of Pediatrics.
84	Section 3.  Subsection (30) of section 641.31, Florida
85	Statutes, is amended to read:
86	641.31  Health maintenance contracts.-
87	(30)(a)  All health maintenance contracts which provide
88	coverage, benefits, or services for a member of the family of
89	the subscriber must, as to such family member's coverage,
90	benefits, or services, also provide that the benefits applicable
91	for children include coverage for child health supervision
92	services from the moment of birth to age 16 years.
93	(b)  As used in this subsection, the term "child health
94	supervision services" means physician-delivered or physician-
95	supervised services that include, at a minimum, services
96	delivered at the intervals and scope stated in this subsection.
97	1.  Child health supervision services must include periodic
98	visits that which shall include a history;, a physical
99	examination;, a developmental assessment and anticipatory
100	guidance;, and appropriate immunizations and laboratory tests;
101	and eye examinations at birth, using an ophthalmoscope and
102	dilation of the pupils for detection of pediatric congenital and
103	ocular abnormalities and developmental abnormalities. Such
104	services and periodic visits shall be provided in accordance
105	with prevailing medical standards consistent with the
106	Recommendations for Preventive Pediatric Health Care of the
107	American Academy of Pediatrics.
108	2.  Minimum benefits may be limited to one visit payable to
109	one provider for all of the services provided at each visit
110	cited in this subsection.
111	Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

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