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CS/CS/SB 1490 — Children’s Medical Services Program
by Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services; Health Policy Committee; and Senator Harrell
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Health Policy Committee (HP)
The bill transfers the operation of the Children’s Medical Services (CMS) Managed Care Plan from the Department of Health (DOH) to the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA); however, the DOH will retain responsibility for clinical eligibility determinations and must provide ongoing consultation to the AHCA on services to children and youth with special health care needs.
The bill requires the AHCA to establish specific measures of access, quality, and costs of providing health care services to children and youth with special health care needs. The AHCA must contract with an independent evaluator to conduct an evaluation of the services provided, which must be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 15, 2028.
The bill repeals provisions related to the administration of CMS, as well as provisions that clarify instances in which it is not a standards of conduct violation for a physician who is involved with the DOH under certain circumstances to also be employed by the DOH to provide CMS services or services to assist in proceedings related to children.
The bill eliminates the Statewide CMS Network Advisory Council and CMS program technical advisory panels.
The bill also requires the AHCA to develop a plan to redesign the Florida Medicaid Model Waiver for home and community-based services to include children who receive private duty nursing services. The AHCA must submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 31, 2025, detailing certain aspects of the waiver redesign.
If approved by the Governor, or allowed to become law without the Governor’s signature, the bill takes effect upon becoming a law, except as otherwise expressly provided.
Vote: Senate 37-0; House 112-0