Florida Senate - 2015                                     SB 820
       
       
        
       By Senator Garcia
       
       
       
       
       
       38-00864-15                                            2015820__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to patient admission status
    3         notification; amending s. 395.301, F.S.; providing
    4         requirements for licensed facilities for patient
    5         notification regarding admission status; providing an
    6         effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Subsections (9) through (11) of section 395.301,
   11  Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (10) through
   12  (12), respectively, and a new subsection (9) is added to that
   13  section, to read:
   14         395.301 Itemized patient bill; form and content prescribed
   15  by the agency; patient admission status notification.—
   16         (9)(a) If a licensed facility determines that a patient
   17  should be placed on an observation status rather than admission
   18  status, the facility shall notify the patient orally and in
   19  writing, and include the written notice in the patient’s record,
   20  of the observation status before the patient is discharged. Such
   21  oral and written notice shall include:
   22         1. A statement that the patient is not admitted to the
   23  facility but is under observation status.
   24         2. A statement that observation status may affect the
   25  patient’s Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance coverage for:
   26         a. Hospital services, including medications and
   27  pharmaceutical supplies; and
   28         b. Home or community-based care or care at a skilled
   29  nursing facility, including rehabilitative services, upon the
   30  patient’s discharge.
   31         3. A recommendation that the patient contact his or her
   32  health insurance provider to determine the implications of
   33  placement in observation status and his or her right to appeal
   34  the determination.
   35         (b) The written notice must be signed and dated by the
   36  patient receiving the notice or the patient’s legal guardian,
   37  conservator, or other authorized representative at the time of
   38  notification.
   39         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.