Florida Senate - 2026 SB 736
By Senator Burgess
23-00686A-26 2026736__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to Medicaid coverage of blood pressure
3 monitoring devices; creating s. 409.9064, F.S.;
4 defining the terms “blood pressure cuff” and
5 “validated at-home blood pressure monitor”; requiring
6 the Agency for Health Care Administration, subject to
7 the availability of funds and certain limitations and
8 directions, to provide coverage for validated at-home
9 blood pressure monitors and blood pressure cuffs for
10 certain Medicaid recipients; providing construction;
11 providing requirements for Medicaid recipients to
12 continue receiving coverage for their validated at
13 home blood pressure monitors and blood pressure cuffs;
14 requiring the agency to seek federal approval for
15 implementation of the act, if needed; requiring the
16 agency to include the rate impact of the act in
17 certain rates that become effective on a specified
18 date; providing an effective date.
19
20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22 Section 1. Section 409.9064, Florida Statutes, is created
23 to read:
24 409.9064 Coverage of blood pressure monitoring devices for
25 Medicaid recipients.—
26 (1) As used in this section, the term:
27 (a) “Blood pressure cuff” means a blood pressure
28 measurement accessory that is used with a validated at-home
29 blood pressure monitor to measure blood pressure levels and that
30 is obtained independently of a validated at-home blood pressure
31 monitor in order to ensure proper size and fit for the patient.
32 (b) “Validated at-home blood pressure monitor” means a
33 blood pressure measurement device that has been validated for
34 accuracy and is listed in the United States Blood Pressure
35 Validated Device Listing developed by the American Medical
36 Association and is designed for the purpose of aiding in the
37 treatment of hypertension by measuring blood pressure levels
38 outside of the clinical setting.
39 (2) Subject to the availability of funds and subject to any
40 limitations or directions provided in the General Appropriations
41 Act, the agency must provide coverage for validated at-home
42 blood pressure monitors and blood pressure cuffs under the
43 Medicaid pharmacy benefit for the treatment of a Medicaid
44 recipient if:
45 (a) The recipient has been diagnosed by his or her primary
46 care physician, or another licensed health care practitioner
47 authorized to make such diagnosis, with hypertension; and
48 (b) A health care practitioner with the applicable
49 prescribing authority has prescribed a validated at-home blood
50 pressure monitor to assist the recipient and practitioner in
51 managing the recipient’s condition.
52 (3) Coverage under this section includes the cost of any
53 necessary repairs or replacement parts for validated at-home
54 blood pressure monitors and blood pressure cuffs.
55 (4) To qualify for continued coverage under this section,
56 the Medicaid recipient must participate in follow-up care with
57 his or her treating health care practitioner, in person or
58 through telehealth, at least once every 6 months during the
59 first 18 months after the recipient’s first prescription for the
60 validated at-home blood pressure monitor has been issued under
61 this section, to assess the efficacy of using the monitor for
62 treatment or management of his or her hypertension. After the
63 first 18 months, such follow-up care must occur at least once
64 every 12 months.
65 (5) The agency shall seek federal approval, if needed, for
66 the implementation of this section.
67 Section 2. The Agency for Health Care Administration shall
68 include the rate impact of this act in the Medicaid managed
69 medical assistance program and long-term care managed care
70 program rates, as applicable, which take effect on October 1,
71 2026.
72 Section 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2026.