CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.House Bill 3231
Florida House of Representatives - 1998 HB 3231
By Representative Burroughs
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to rural hospitals; amending
3 ss. 395.602 and 408.07, F.S.; revising a
4 definition; requiring a study; providing an
5 effective date.
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7 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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9 Section 1. Paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section
10 395.602, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
11 395.602 Rural hospitals.--
12 (2) DEFINITIONS.--As used in this part:
13 (e) "Rural hospital" means an acute care hospital
14 licensed under this chapter, having with 85 or fewer licensed
15 beds and or less, which has an emergency room, and is located
16 in an area defined as rural by the United States Census, and
17 which is:
18 1. The sole provider within a county with a population
19 density of no greater than 100 persons per square mile; or
20 2. An acute care hospital, in a county with a
21 population density of no greater than 100 persons per square
22 mile, which is at least 30 minutes of travel time, on normally
23 traveled roads under normal traffic conditions, from any other
24 acute care hospital within the same county; or
25 3. A hospital supported by a tax district or
26 subdistrict whose boundaries encompass a population of 100
27 persons or fewer less per square mile.
28 Population densities used in this paragraph must be based upon
29 the most recently completed United States census.
30 Section 2. Subsection (47) of section 408.07, Florida
31 Statutes, is amended to read:
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1998 HB 3231
554-163-98
1 408.07 Definitions.--As used in this chapter, with the
2 exception of ss. 408.031-408.045, the term:
3 (47) "Rural hospital" means an acute care hospital
4 licensed under chapter 395, having with 85 or fewer licensed
5 beds and or fewer, which has an emergency room, and is located
6 in an area defined as rural by the United States Census, and
7 which is:
8 (a) The sole provider within a county with a
9 population density of no greater than 100 persons per square
10 mile;
11 (b) An acute care hospital, in a county with a
12 population density of no greater than 100 persons per square
13 mile, which is at least 30 minutes of travel time, on normally
14 traveled roads under normal traffic conditions, from another
15 acute care hospital within the same county; or
16 (c) A hospital supported by a tax district or
17 subdistrict whose boundaries encompass a population of 100
18 persons or fewer less per square mile.
19 Population densities used in this subsection must be based
20 upon the most recently completed United States census.
21 Section 3. The Agency for Health Care Administration
22 is directed to evaluate, in consultation with the Department
23 of Health and representatives of the hospital industry, the
24 adequacy of the statutory definition of "rural hospital" as
25 defined in ss. 395.602 and 408.07, Florida Statutes. In its
26 analysis the agency may consider economic and demographic
27 factors, federal rules and regulations, health planning
28 principles, and the potential impact of alternative
29 definitions on the communities that contain rural hospitals as
30 currently defined. The agency shall submit its findings and
31 recommendations to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1998 HB 3231
554-163-98
1 Representatives, and the President of the Senate no later than
2 December 31, 1999.
3 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
4 law.
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7 SENATE SUMMARY
8 Modifies the definition of the term "rural hospital."
Requires a study by the Agency for Health Care
9 Administration, in consultation with the Department of
Health and representatives of the hospital industry, on
10 the adequacy of the definition.
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