Florida Senate - 2017                                     SB 240
       
       
        
       By Senator Lee
       
       20-00301-17                                            2017240__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to direct primary care; creating s.
    3         624.27, F.S.; defining terms; specifying that a direct
    4         primary care agreement does not constitute insurance
    5         and is not subject to ch. 636, F.S., relating to
    6         prepaid limited health service organizations and
    7         discount medical plan organizations, or any other
    8         chapter of the Florida Insurance Code; specifying that
    9         entering into a direct primary care agreement does not
   10         constitute the business of insurance and is not
   11         subject to ch. 636, F.S., or any other chapter of the
   12         code; providing that certain certificates of authority
   13         and licenses are not required to market, sell, or
   14         offer to sell a direct primary care agreement;
   15         specifying requirements for direct primary care
   16         agreements; providing an effective date.
   17          
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. Section 624.27, Florida Statutes, is created to
   21  read:
   22         624.27 Application of code as to direct primary care
   23  agreements.—
   24         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   25         (a) “Direct primary care agreement” means a contract
   26  between a primary care provider and a patient, the patient’s
   27  legal representative, or an employer which meets the
   28  requirements specified under subsection (4) and does not
   29  indemnify for services provided by a third party.
   30         (b) “Primary care provider” means a health care
   31  practitioner licensed under chapter 458, chapter 459, chapter
   32  460, or chapter 464, or a primary care group practice that
   33  provides medical services to patients which are commonly
   34  provided without referral from another health care provider.
   35         (c) “Primary care service” means the screening, assessment,
   36  diagnosis, and treatment of a patient for the purpose of
   37  promoting health or detecting and managing disease or injury
   38  within the competency and training of the primary care provider.
   39         (2) A direct primary care agreement does not constitute
   40  insurance and is not subject to chapter 636 or any other chapter
   41  of the Florida Insurance Code. The act of entering into a direct
   42  primary care agreement does not constitute the business of
   43  insurance and is not subject to chapter 636 or any other chapter
   44  of the Florida Insurance Code.
   45         (3) A primary care provider or an agent of a primary care
   46  provider is not required to obtain a certificate of authority or
   47  license under chapter 636 or any other chapter of the Florida
   48  Insurance Code to market, sell, or offer to sell a direct
   49  primary care agreement.
   50         (4) For purposes of this section, a direct primary care
   51  agreement must:
   52         (a) Be in writing.
   53         (b) Be signed by the primary care provider or an agent of
   54  the primary care provider and the patient, the patient’s legal
   55  representative, or an employer.
   56         (c) Allow a party to terminate the agreement by giving the
   57  other party at least 30 days’ advance written notice. The
   58  agreement may provide for immediate termination due to a
   59  violation of the physician-patient relationship or a breach of
   60  the terms of the agreement.
   61         (d) Describe the scope of primary care services that are
   62  covered by the monthly fee.
   63         (e) Specify the monthly fee and any fees for primary care
   64  services not covered by the monthly fee.
   65         (f) Specify the duration of the agreement and any automatic
   66  renewal provisions.
   67         (g) Offer a refund to the patient of monthly fees paid in
   68  advance if the primary care provider ceases to offer primary
   69  care services for any reason.
   70         (h) Contain, in contrasting color and in not less than 12
   71  point type, the following statements on the same page as the
   72  applicant’s signature:
   73         1. This agreement is not health insurance, and the primary
   74  care provider will not file any claims against the patient’s
   75  health insurance policy or plan for reimbursement of any primary
   76  care services covered by this agreement.
   77         2. This agreement does not qualify as minimum essential
   78  coverage to satisfy the individual shared responsibility
   79  provision of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care
   80  Act, Pub. L. No. 111-148.
   81         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.