The Florida Senate

641.58  Regulatory assessment; levy and amount; use of funds; tax returns; penalty for failure to pay.--

(1)  In addition to any other license or excise tax now or hereafter imposed, and such taxes as may be imposed under other statutes, there is hereby assessed and imposed upon every organization authorized to engage in business in this state, an annual regulatory assessment not to exceed 0.1 percent of the gross amount of premiums collected by each organization on contracts or certificates issued to subscribers in this state. For the purpose of this section, "premium" shall include all prepaid per capita fees and prepaid aggregate fees, by whatever name called. The assessment shall be payable annually on or before April 1 to the Agency for Health Care Administration by each organization on such premiums collected during the preceding calendar year, and shall be deposited into the Health Care Trust Fund.

(2)  The Department of Insurance shall determine the amount of gross premiums for the purposes of the regulatory assessment, and then the agency shall determine on or before December 1 of each year the regulatory assessment percentage necessary to be imposed for that calendar year, payable on or before the following April 1, as herein prescribed, to provide the funds appropriated to the agency to carry out the provisions of subsection (4).

(3)  The agency shall make and issue its order setting the regulatory assessment percentage for that calendar year, payable on or before April 1 of the following year, and shall mail a copy of such order to each organization.

(4)  The moneys received and deposited into the Health Care Trust Fund shall be used to defray the expenses of the agency in the discharge of its administrative and regulatory powers and duties under this part, including conducting an annual survey of the satisfaction of members of health maintenance organizations; contracting with physician consultants for the Statewide Provider and Subscriber Assistance Panel; maintaining offices and necessary supplies, essential equipment, and other materials, salaries and expenses of required personnel; and discharging the administrative and regulatory powers and duties imposed under this part.

(5)  If, at the end of any fiscal year, an unencumbered balance of funds received from the regulatory assessment imposed by this section remains in the Health Care Trust Fund, such balance shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund of the state, but shall be retained in the Health Care Trust Fund to be used for the purposes set forth above. The agency shall take into account the amount of any such remaining funds when determining the regulatory assessment percentage for each calendar year.

(6)  Tax returns with respect to the regulatory assessment prescribed by this section shall be made by each organization liable for payment of such tax on forms to be prescribed by the agency and sworn to by one or more of the executive officers or other persons charged under the law with the management of the organization. In the event of an overpayment on account of the assessment, a refund of the overpayment may be made to the remitter.

(7)  If an organization fails to pay the assessment required by this section on or before April 1 of each year, the agency may suspend or revoke its health care provider certificate or impose other reasonable administrative sanctions or penalties.

History.--ss. 26, 27, ch. 87-236; ss. 187, 188, ch. 91-108; s. 91, ch. 91-282; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 51, ch. 95-211; s. 40, ch. 96-199; s. 27, ch. 96-418; s. 8, ch. 99-393.