Senate Bill 0162

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.



    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 162

    By Senator Cowin





    11-236-00                                               See HB

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to the practice of medicine;

  3         amending s. 458.305, F.S.; redefining the term

  4         "practice of medicine"; amending s. 459.003,

  5         F.S.; redefining the term "practice of

  6         osteopathic medicine"; amending s. 641.495,

  7         F.S.; providing that the rendering of an

  8         adverse determination by a health maintenance

  9         organization or prepaid health clinic

10         constitutes the practice of medicine by the

11         medical director of the organization or clinic;

12         providing requirements for the medical director

13         of a health maintenance organization or prepaid

14         health clinic with respect to adverse

15         determinations made by the organization or

16         clinic; providing an effective date.

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18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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20         Section 1.  Subsection (3) of section 458.305, Florida

21  Statutes, is amended to read:

22         458.305  Definitions.--As used in this chapter:

23         (3)  "Practice of medicine" means the diagnosis,

24  treatment, operation, or prescription for any human disease,

25  pain, injury, deformity, or other physical or mental condition

26  or the modification or denial of a treatment plan for the

27  treatment of any human disease, pain, injury, deformity, or

28  other physical or mental condition, including judgments of

29  medical necessity. The "practice of medicine" does not include

30  coverage decisions for purposes of insurance benefits as long

31  as medical judgments are not involved.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 162
    11-236-00                                               See HB




  1         Section 2.  Subsection (3) of section 459.003, Florida

  2  Statutes, is amended to read:

  3         459.003  Definitions.--As used in this chapter:

  4         (3)  "Practice of osteopathic medicine" means the

  5  diagnosis, treatment, operation, or prescription for any human

  6  disease, pain, injury, deformity, or other physical or mental

  7  condition or the modification or denial of a treatment plan

  8  for the treatment of any human disease, pain, injury,

  9  deformity, or other physical or mental condition, which

10  practice is based in part upon educational standards and

11  requirements which emphasize the importance of the

12  musculoskeletal structure and manipulative therapy in the

13  maintenance and restoration of health. The "practice of

14  osteopathic medicine" does not include coverage decisions for

15  purposes of insurance benefits as long as medical judgments

16  are not involved.

17         Section 3.  Subsection (11) of section 641.495, Florida

18  Statutes, is amended to read:

19         641.495  Requirements for issuance and maintenance of

20  certificate.--

21         (11)  The organization shall designate a medical

22  director who is a physician licensed under chapter 458 or

23  chapter 459. For every adverse determination made by the

24  organization regarding any subscriber, the medical director is

25  required to document and sign the subscriber's medical records

26  setting forth the facts regarding the organization's adverse

27  determination and the rationale for such decision. The

28  rendering of an adverse determination by an organization shall

29  constitute the practice of medicine, as defined in s. 458.305,

30  by the medical director of the organization.

31         Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida Senate - 2000                                   SB 162
    11-236-00                                               See HB




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  2                          HOUSE SUMMARY

  3
      Redefines the terms "practice of medicine" and "practice
  4    of osteopathic medicine" to include the modification or
      denial of treatment plans. Provides that the rendering of
  5    an adverse determination by a health maintenance
      organization or prepaid health clinic constitutes the
  6    practice of medicine by the medical director of the
      organization or clinic. With respect to adverse
  7    determinations made by a health maintenance organization
      or prepaid health clinic regarding any subscriber,
  8    requires the medical director of the organization or
      clinic to document and sign the subscriber's medical
  9    records setting forth the facts regarding the adverse
      determination and the rationale for such decision.
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