House Bill hb0059E

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

        By the Fiscal Responsibility Council and Representative
    Murman





  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to health care; amending s.

  3         112.3187, F.S.; revising procedures and

  4         requirements relating to whistle-blower

  5         protection for reporting Medicaid fraud or

  6         abuse; amending s. 400.179, F.S.; providing an

  7         alternative to certain bond requirements for

  8         protection against nursing home Medicaid

  9         overpayments; providing for review and

10         rulemaking authority of the Agency for Health

11         Care Administration; providing for future

12         repeal; requiring a report; creating s.

13         408.831, F.S.; authorizing the Agency for

14         Health Care Administration to take action

15         against a regulated entity under certain

16         circumstances; reenacting s. 409.8132(4), F.S.,

17         to incorporate amendments to ss. 409.902,

18         409.907, 409.908, and 409.913, F.S., in

19         references thereto; amending s. 409.8177, F.S.;

20         requiring the agency to contract for evaluation

21         of the Florida Kidcare program; amending s.

22         409.902, F.S.; requiring consent for release of

23         medical records to the agency and the Medicaid

24         Fraud Control Unit as a condition of Medicaid

25         eligibility; amending s. 409.903, F.S.;

26         revising eligibility for certain Medicaid

27         mandatory medical assistance; amending s.

28         409.904, F.S.; revising eligibility standards

29         for certain Medicaid optional medical

30         assistance; amending s. 409.9065, F.S.;

31         revising eligibility standards for the

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1         pharmaceutical expense assistance program;

 2         amending s. 409.907, F.S.; prescribing

 3         additional requirements with respect to

 4         Medicaid provider enrollment; requiring the

 5         agency to deny a provider's application under

 6         certain circumstances; amending s. 409.908,

 7         F.S.; requiring retroactive calculation of cost

 8         report if requirements for cost reporting are

 9         not met; revising provisions relating to rate

10         adjustments to offset the cost of general and

11         professional liability insurance for nursing

12         homes; extending authorization for special

13         Medicaid payments to qualified providers;

14         providing for intergovernmental transfer of

15         payments; amending s. 409.911, F.S.; expanding

16         application of definitions; amending s.

17         409.9116, F.S.; revising applicability of the

18         disproportionate share/financial assistance

19         program for rural hospitals; amending s.

20         409.91195, F.S.; granting interested parties

21         opportunity to present public testimony before

22         the Medicaid Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics

23         Committee; amending s. 409.912, F.S.; providing

24         requirements for contracts for Medicaid

25         behavioral health care services; amending s.

26         409.9122, F.S.; revising procedures relating to

27         assignment of a Medicaid recipient to a managed

28         care plan or MediPass provider; granting agency

29         discretion to renew contracts; amending s.

30         409.913, F.S.; requiring the agency and the

31         Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to annually submit

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

    187-994-02E






 1         a joint report to the Legislature; defining the

 2         term "complaint" with respect to Medicaid fraud

 3         or abuse; specifying additional requirements

 4         for the Medicaid program integrity program and

 5         the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; providing

 6         additional sanctions and disincentives which

 7         may be imposed; providing additional grounds

 8         for termination of a provider's participation

 9         in the Medicaid program; providing additional

10         requirements for administrative hearings;

11         providing additional grounds for withholding

12         payments to a provider; authorizing the agency

13         and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to review

14         certain records; amending s. 409.920, F.S.;

15         providing additional duties of the Attorney

16         General with respect to Medicaid fraud control;

17         amending s. 624.91, F.S.; revising duties of

18         the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation with

19         respect to annual determination of

20         participation in the Healthy Kids program;

21         prescribing duties of the corporation in

22         establishing local match requirements; revising

23         composition of the board of directors; amending

24         s. 383.19, F.S.; revising limitation on the

25         establishment of regional perinatal intensive

26         care centers; amending s. 393.063, F.S.;

27         revising definition of the term "intermediate

28         care facility for the developmentally disabled"

29         for purposes of ch. 393, F.S.; amending ss.

30         400.965 and 400.968, F.S.; providing penalties

31         for violation of pt. XI of ch. 400, F.S.,

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

    187-994-02E






 1         relating to intermediate care facilities for

 2         developmentally disabled persons; requiring the

 3         Department of Children and Family Services to

 4         develop and implement a comprehensive redesign

 5         of the home and community-based services

 6         delivery system for persons with developmental

 7         disabilities; restricting certain release of

 8         funds; providing an implementation schedule;

 9         requiring the Agency for Health Care

10         Administration to conduct a study of health

11         care services provided to children who are

12         medically fragile or dependent on medical

13         technology; requiring the agency to conduct a

14         pilot program for a subacute pediatric

15         transitional care center; requiring background

16         screening of center personnel; requiring the

17         agency to amend the Medicaid state plan or seek

18         federal waivers as necessary; requiring the

19         center to have an advisory board; providing for

20         membership and duties of the advisory board;

21         providing requirements for the admission,

22         transfer, and discharge of a child to the

23         center; requiring the agency to submit certain

24         reports to the Legislature; requiring the

25         agency to make recommendations to the

26         Legislature regarding limitations on certain

27         Medicaid provider reimbursements; providing

28         guidelines for the agency regarding

29         distribution of disproportionate share funds

30         during the 2002-2003 fiscal year; directing the

31         Office of Program Policy Analysis and

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1         Government Accountability to perform a study of

 2         county contributions to Medicaid nursing home

 3         costs; requiring a report and recommendations;

 4         repealing s. 1, ch. 2001-377, Laws of Florida,

 5         relating to eligibility of specified persons

 6         for certain optional medical assistance;

 7         providing severability; providing effective

 8         dates.

 9  

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

11  

12         Section 1.  Subsections (3), (5), and (7) of section

13  112.3187, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

14         112.3187  Adverse action against employee for

15  disclosing information of specified nature prohibited;

16  employee remedy and relief.--

17         (3)  DEFINITIONS.--As used in this act, unless

18  otherwise specified, the following words or terms shall have

19  the meanings indicated:

20         (a)  "Agency" means any state, regional, county, local,

21  or municipal government entity, whether executive, judicial,

22  or legislative; any official, officer, department, division,

23  bureau, commission, authority, or political subdivision

24  therein; or any public school, community college, or state

25  university.

26         (b)  "Employee" means a person who performs services

27  for, and under the control and direction of, or contracts

28  with, an agency or independent contractor for wages or other

29  remuneration.

30         (c)  "Adverse personnel action" means the discharge,

31  suspension, transfer, or demotion of any employee or the

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  withholding of bonuses, the reduction in salary or benefits,

 2  or any other adverse action taken against an employee within

 3  the terms and conditions of employment by an agency or

 4  independent contractor.

 5         (d)  "Independent contractor" means a person, other

 6  than an agency, engaged in any business and who enters into a

 7  contract, including a provider agreement, with an agency.

 8         (e)  "Gross mismanagement" means a continuous pattern

 9  of managerial abuses, wrongful or arbitrary and capricious

10  actions, or fraudulent or criminal conduct which may have a

11  substantial adverse economic impact.

12         (5)  NATURE OF INFORMATION DISCLOSED.--The information

13  disclosed under this section must include:

14         (a)  Any violation or suspected violation of any

15  federal, state, or local law, rule, or regulation committed by

16  an employee or agent of an agency or independent contractor

17  which creates and presents a substantial and specific danger

18  to the public's health, safety, or welfare.

19         (b)  Any act or suspected act of gross mismanagement,

20  malfeasance, misfeasance, gross waste of public funds,

21  suspected or actual Medicaid fraud or abuse, or gross neglect

22  of duty committed by an employee or agent of an agency or

23  independent contractor.

24         (7)  EMPLOYEES AND PERSONS PROTECTED.--This section

25  protects employees and persons who disclose information on

26  their own initiative in a written and signed complaint; who

27  are requested to participate in an investigation, hearing, or

28  other inquiry conducted by any agency or federal government

29  entity; who refuse to participate in any adverse action

30  prohibited by this section; or who initiate a complaint

31  through the whistle-blower's hotline or the hotline of the

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Department of Legal

 2  Affairs; or employees who file any written complaint to their

 3  supervisory officials or employees who submit a complaint to

 4  the Chief Inspector General in the Executive Office of the

 5  Governor, to the employee designated as agency inspector

 6  general under s. 112.3189(1), or to the Florida Commission on

 7  Human Relations.  The provisions of this section may not be

 8  used by a person while he or she is under the care, custody,

 9  or control of the state correctional system or, after release

10  from the care, custody, or control of the state correctional

11  system, with respect to circumstances that occurred during any

12  period of incarceration.  No remedy or other protection under

13  ss. 112.3187-112.31895 applies to any person who has committed

14  or intentionally participated in committing the violation or

15  suspected violation for which protection under ss.

16  112.3187-112.31895 is being sought.

17         Section 2.  Effective upon becoming a law and

18  applicable to any pending license renewal, paragraph (d) of

19  subsection (5) of section 400.179, Florida Statutes, is

20  amended to read:

21         400.179  Sale or transfer of ownership of a nursing

22  facility; liability for Medicaid underpayments and

23  overpayments.--

24         (5)  Because any transfer of a nursing facility may

25  expose the fact that Medicaid may have underpaid or overpaid

26  the transferor, and because in most instances, any such

27  underpayment or overpayment can only be determined following a

28  formal field audit, the liabilities for any such underpayments

29  or overpayments shall be as follows:

30         (d)  Where the transfer involves a facility that has

31  been leased by the transferor:

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

    187-994-02E






 1         1.  The transferee shall, as a condition to being

 2  issued a license by the agency, acquire, maintain, and provide

 3  proof to the agency of a bond with a term of 30 months,

 4  renewable annually, in an amount not less than the total of 3

 5  months Medicaid payments to the facility computed on the basis

 6  of the preceding 12-month average Medicaid payments to the

 7  facility.

 8         2.  Subject to federal review and approval, a leasehold

 9  licensee may meet the requirements of subparagraph 1. by

10  payment of a nonrefundable fee paid at initial licensure, paid

11  at the time of any subsequent change of ownership, and paid at

12  the time of any subsequent annual license renewal, in the

13  amount of 2 percent of the total of 3 months' Medicaid

14  payments to the facility computed on the basis of the

15  preceding 12-month average Medicaid payments to the facility.

16  If a preceding 12-month average is not available, projected

17  Medicaid payments may be used. The fee shall be deposited into

18  the Health Care Trust Fund and shall be accounted for

19  separately as a Medicaid nursing home overpayment account.

20  These fees shall be used at the sole discretion of the agency

21  to repay nursing home Medicaid overpayments. Payment of this

22  fee shall not release the operator from any liability for any

23  Medicaid overpayments nor shall payment bar the agency from

24  seeking to recoup overpayments from the operator and any other

25  liable party. As a condition of exercising this lease bond

26  alternative, licensees paying this fee must maintain the

27  remaining portion of an existing 30-month lease bond. The

28  agency is granted specific authority to promulgate all rules

29  pertaining to the administration and management of this

30  account, including withdrawals from the account. This

31  subparagraph is repealed on June 30, 2003.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

    187-994-02E






 1         a.  The financial viability of the Medicaid nursing

 2  home overpayment account shall be determined by the agency

 3  through annual review of the account balance and the amount of

 4  total outstanding, unpaid Medicaid overpayments owing from

 5  leasehold licensees to the agency as determined by final

 6  agency audits.

 7         (I)  If the amount of the Medicaid nursing home

 8  overpayment account at any time becomes less than the total

 9  amount of such outstanding overpayments, then participation in

10  the account shall cease to be an acceptable alternative

11  assurance under this section and leasehold licensees shall be

12  required to immediately obtain lease bonds.

13         (II)  Upon determining a deficit in the balance of the

14  account relative to such outstanding overpayments, the agency

15  shall determine the amount to be contributed by each

16  participating provider necessary to increase the account

17  balance to an amount in excess of the total outstanding amount

18  of such overpayments. The agency shall notify each licensee

19  participating in the account at the time a deficit was

20  determined of the amount each licensee must contribute to

21  eliminate the deficit. Upon elimination of the deficit in the

22  account, participation in the account shall be an acceptable

23  alternative assurance under this section.

24         b.  The agency, in consultation with the Florida Health

25  Care Association and the Florida Association of Homes for the

26  Aging, shall study and make recommendations on the minimum

27  amount to be held in reserve to protect against Medicaid

28  overpayments to leasehold operators and on the issue of

29  successor liability for Medicaid overpayments upon sale or

30  transfer of ownership of a nursing facility. The agency shall

31  submit the findings and recommendations of the study to the

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

    187-994-02E






 1  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

 2  House of Representatives by January 1, 2003.

 3         3.2.  The leasehold operator may meet the bond

 4  requirement through other arrangements acceptable to the

 5  agency department.

 6         4.3.  All existing nursing facility licensees,

 7  operating the facility as a leasehold, shall acquire,

 8  maintain, and provide proof to the agency of the 30-month bond

 9  required in subparagraph 1., above, on and after July 1, 1993,

10  for each license renewal.

11         5.4.  It shall be the responsibility of all nursing

12  facility operators, operating the facility as a leasehold, to

13  renew the 30-month bond and to provide proof of such renewal

14  to the agency annually at the time of application for license

15  renewal.

16         6.5.  Any failure of the nursing facility operator to

17  acquire, maintain, renew annually, or provide proof to the

18  agency shall be grounds for the agency to deny, cancel,

19  revoke, or suspend the facility license to operate such

20  facility and to take any further action, including, but not

21  limited to, enjoining the facility, asserting a moratorium, or

22  applying for a receiver, deemed necessary to ensure compliance

23  with this section and to safeguard and protect the health,

24  safety, and welfare of the facility's residents.

25         Section 3.  Section 408.831, Florida Statutes, is

26  created to read:

27         408.831  Denial of application; suspension or

28  revocation of license, registration, or certificate.--

29         (1)  In addition to any other remedies provided by law,

30  the agency may deny each application or suspend or revoke each

31  

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  license, registration, or certificate of entities regulated or

 2  licensed by it:

 3         (a)  If the applicant, licensee, registrant, or

 4  certificateholder, or, in the case of a corporation,

 5  partnership, or other business entity, if any officer,

 6  director, agent, or managing employee of that business entity

 7  or any affiliated person, partner, or shareholder having an

 8  ownership interest equal to 5 percent or greater in that

 9  business entity, has failed to pay all outstanding fines,

10  liens, or overpayments assessed by final order of the agency

11  or final order of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid

12  Services unless a repayment plan is approved by the agency; or

13         (b)  For failure to comply with any repayment plan.

14         (2)  For all legal proceedings that may result from a

15  denial, suspension, or revocation under this section,

16  testimony or documentation from the financial entity charged

17  with monitoring such payment shall constitute evidence of the

18  failure to pay an outstanding fine, lien, or overpayment and

19  shall be sufficient grounds for the denial, suspension, or

20  revocation.

21         (3)  This section provides standards of enforcement

22  applicable to all entities licensed or regulated by the Agency

23  for Health Care Administration. This section controls over any

24  conflicting provisions of chapters 39, 381, 383, 390, 391,

25  393, 394, 395, 400, 408, 468, 483, and 641 or rules adopted

26  pursuant to those chapters.

27         Section 4.  For the purpose of incorporating the

28  amendments made by this act to sections 409.902, 409.907,

29  409.908, and 409.913, Florida Statutes, in references thereto,

30  subsection (4) of section 409.8132, Florida Statutes, is

31  reenacted to read:

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1         409.8132  Medikids program component.--

 2         (4)  APPLICABILITY OF LAWS RELATING TO MEDICAID.--The

 3  provisions of ss. 409.902, 409.905, 409.906, 409.907, 409.908,

 4  409.912, 409.9121, 409.9122, 409.9123, 409.9124, 409.9127,

 5  409.9128, 409.913, 409.916, 409.919, 409.920, and 409.9205

 6  apply to the administration of the Medikids program component

 7  of the Florida Kidcare program, except that s. 409.9122

 8  applies to Medikids as modified by the provisions of

 9  subsection (7).

10         Section 5.  Section 409.8177, Florida Statutes, is

11  amended to read:

12         409.8177  Program evaluation.--

13         (1)  The agency, in consultation with the Department of

14  Health, the Department of Children and Family Services, and

15  the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, shall contract for an

16  evaluation of the Florida Kidcare program and shall by January

17  1 of each year submit to the Governor, the President of the

18  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a

19  report of the Florida Kidcare program. In addition to the

20  items specified under s. 2108 of Title XXI of the Social

21  Security Act, the report shall include an assessment of

22  crowd-out and access to health care, as well as the following:

23         (a)(1)  An assessment of the operation of the program,

24  including the progress made in reducing the number of

25  uncovered low-income children.

26         (b)(2)  An assessment of the effectiveness in

27  increasing the number of children with creditable health

28  coverage, including an assessment of the impact of outreach.

29         (c)(3)  The characteristics of the children and

30  families assisted under the program, including ages of the

31  children, family income, and access to or coverage by other

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  health insurance prior to the program and after disenrollment

 2  from the program.

 3         (d)(4)  The quality of health coverage provided,

 4  including the types of benefits provided.

 5         (e)(5)  The amount and level, including payment of part

 6  or all of any premium, of assistance provided.

 7         (f)(6)  The average length of coverage of a child under

 8  the program.

 9         (g)(7)  The program's choice of health benefits

10  coverage and other methods used for providing child health

11  assistance.

12         (h)(8)  The sources of nonfederal funding used in the

13  program.

14         (i)(9)  An assessment of the effectiveness of Medikids,

15  Children's Medical Services network, and other public and

16  private programs in the state in increasing the availability

17  of affordable quality health insurance and health care for

18  children.

19         (j)(10)  A review and assessment of state activities to

20  coordinate the program with other public and private programs.

21         (k)(11)  An analysis of changes and trends in the state

22  that affect the provision of health insurance and health care

23  to children.

24         (l)(12)  A description of any plans the state has for

25  improving the availability of health insurance and health care

26  for children.

27         (m)(13)  Recommendations for improving the program.

28         (n)(14)  Other studies as necessary.

29         (2)  The agency shall also submit each month to the

30  Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the

31  

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  House of Representatives a report of enrollment for each

 2  program component of the Florida Kidcare program.

 3         Section 6.  Section 409.902, Florida Statutes, is

 4  amended to read:

 5         409.902  Designated single state agency; payment

 6  requirements; program title; release of medical records.--The

 7  Agency for Health Care Administration is designated as the

 8  single state agency authorized to make payments for medical

 9  assistance and related services under Title XIX of the Social

10  Security Act.  These payments shall be made, subject to any

11  limitations or directions provided for in the General

12  Appropriations Act, only for services included in the program,

13  shall be made only on behalf of eligible individuals, and

14  shall be made only to qualified providers in accordance with

15  federal requirements for Title XIX of the Social Security Act

16  and the provisions of state law.  This program of medical

17  assistance is designated the "Medicaid program." The

18  Department of Children and Family Services is responsible for

19  Medicaid eligibility determinations, including, but not

20  limited to, policy, rules, and the agreement with the Social

21  Security Administration for Medicaid eligibility

22  determinations for Supplemental Security Income recipients, as

23  well as the actual determination of eligibility.  As a

24  condition of Medicaid eligibility, subject to federal

25  approval, the Agency for Health Care Administration and the

26  Department of Children and Family Services shall ensure that

27  each recipient of Medicaid consents to the release of her or

28  his medical records to the Agency for Health Care

29  Administration and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the

30  Department of Legal Affairs.

31  

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

    187-994-02E






 1         Section 7.  Effective January 1, 2003, subsection (2)

 2  of section 409.904, Florida Statutes, as amended by section 2

 3  of chapter 2001-377, Laws of Florida, is amended to read:

 4         409.904  Optional payments for eligible persons.--The

 5  agency may make payments for medical assistance and related

 6  services on behalf of the following persons who are determined

 7  to be eligible subject to the income, assets, and categorical

 8  eligibility tests set forth in federal and state law. Payment

 9  on behalf of these Medicaid eligible persons is subject to the

10  availability of moneys and any limitations established by the

11  General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.

12         (2)(a)  A caretaker relative or parent, a pregnant

13  woman, a child under age 19 who would otherwise qualify for

14  Medicaid or the Florida Kidcare program, a child up to age 21

15  who would otherwise qualify under s. 409.903(1), a person age

16  65 or over, or a blind or disabled person, who would otherwise

17  be eligible for Medicaid except that the income or assets of

18  such family or person exceed established limitations. A

19  pregnant woman who would otherwise qualify for Medicaid under

20  s. 409.903(5) except for her level of income and whose assets

21  fall within the limits established by the Department of

22  Children and Family Services for the medically needy.  A

23  pregnant woman who applies for medically needy eligibility may

24  not be made presumptively eligible.

25         (b)  A child under age 21 who would otherwise qualify

26  for Medicaid or the Florida Kidcare program except for the

27  family's level of income and whose assets fall within the

28  limits established by the Department of Children and Family

29  Services for the medically needy. For a family or person in

30  one of these coverage groups this group, medical expenses are

31  deductible from income in accordance with federal requirements

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  in order to make a determination of eligibility.  Expenses

 2  used to meet spend-down liability are not reimbursable by

 3  Medicaid. Effective January 1, 2003, when determining the

 4  eligibility of a pregnant woman, a child, or an aged, blind,

 5  or disabled individual, $360 shall be deducted from the

 6  countable income of the filing unit. When determining the

 7  eligibility of the caretaker relative or parent, as defined by

 8  Title XIX of the Social Security Act, the additional income

 9  disregard of $360 does not apply.  A family or person who is

10  eligible under this coverage, in this group, which group is

11  known as the "medically needy," is eligible to receive the

12  same services as other Medicaid recipients, with the exception

13  of services in skilled nursing facilities and intermediate

14  care facilities for the developmentally disabled.

15         Section 8.  Subsection (5) of section 409.903, Florida

16  Statutes, is amended to read:

17         409.903  Mandatory payments for eligible persons.--The

18  agency shall make payments for medical assistance and related

19  services on behalf of the following persons who the

20  department, or the Social Security Administration by contract

21  with the Department of Children and Family Services,

22  determines to be eligible, subject to the income, assets, and

23  categorical eligibility tests set forth in federal and state

24  law.  Payment on behalf of these Medicaid eligible persons is

25  subject to the availability of moneys and any limitations

26  established by the General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.

27         (5)  A pregnant woman for the duration of her pregnancy

28  and for the postpartum period as defined in federal law and

29  rule, or a child under age 1, if either is living in a family

30  that has an income which is at or below 150 percent of the

31  most current federal poverty level, or, effective January 1,

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  1992, that has an income which is at or below 185 percent of

 2  the most current federal poverty level.  Such a person is not

 3  subject to an assets test. Further, a pregnant woman who

 4  applies for eligibility for the Medicaid program through a

 5  qualified Medicaid provider must be offered the opportunity,

 6  subject to federal rules, to be made presumptively eligible

 7  for the Medicaid program.

 8         Section 9.  Present subsection (10) of section 409.904,

 9  Florida Statutes, is amended, present subsections (9), (10),

10  and (11) are renumbered as subsections (10), (11), and (12),

11  respectively, and a new subsection (9) is added to said

12  section, to read:

13         409.904  Optional payments for eligible persons.--The

14  agency may make payments for medical assistance and related

15  services on behalf of the following persons who are determined

16  to be eligible subject to the income, assets, and categorical

17  eligibility tests set forth in federal and state law.  Payment

18  on behalf of these Medicaid eligible persons is subject to the

19  availability of moneys and any limitations established by the

20  General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.

21         (9)  A pregnant woman for the duration of her pregnancy

22  and for the postpartum period as defined in federal law and

23  regulation, who has an income above 150 percent but not in

24  excess of 185 percent of the federal poverty level. Countable

25  income shall be determined in accordance with state and

26  federal regulation. A pregnant woman who applies for

27  eligibility for the Medicaid program shall be offered the

28  opportunity, subject to federal regulations, to be made

29  presumptively eligible.

30         (11)(10)(a)  Eligible women with incomes at or below

31  200 percent of the federal poverty level and under age 65, for

                                  17

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 1  cancer treatment pursuant to the federal Breast and Cervical

 2  Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000, screened through

 3  the Mary Brogan National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early

 4  Detection Program established under s. 381.93.

 5         (b)  A woman who has not attained 65 years of age and

 6  who has been screened for breast or cervical cancer by a

 7  qualified entity under the Mary Brogan Breast and Cervical

 8  Cancer Early Detection Program of the Department of Health and

 9  needs treatment for breast or cervical cancer and is not

10  otherwise covered under creditable coverage, as defined in s.

11  2701(c) of the Public Health Service Act. For purposes of this

12  subsection, the term "qualified entity" means a county public

13  health department or other entity that has contracted with the

14  Department of Health to provide breast and cervical cancer

15  screening services paid for under this act. In determining the

16  eligibility of such a woman, an assets test is not required. A

17  presumptive eligibility period begins on the date on which all

18  eligibility criteria appear to be met and ends on the date

19  determination is made with respect to the eligibility of such

20  woman for services under the state plan or, in the case of

21  such a woman who does not file an application, by the last day

22  of the month following the month in which the presumptive

23  eligibility determination is made. A woman is eligible until

24  she gains creditable coverage, until treatment is no longer

25  necessary, or until attainment of 65 years of age.

26         Section 10.  Effective July 1, 2002, subsection (2) of

27  section 409.9065, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

28         409.9065  Pharmaceutical expense assistance.--

29         (2)  ELIGIBILITY.--Eligibility for the program is

30  limited to those individuals who qualify for limited

31  assistance under the Florida Medicaid program as a result of

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 1  being dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, but

 2  whose limited assistance or Medicare coverage does not include

 3  any pharmacy benefit. To the extent that funds are

 4  appropriated, specifically eligible individuals are

 5  individuals low-income senior citizens who:

 6         (a)  Are Florida residents age 65 and over;

 7         (b)  Have an income:

 8         1.  Between 90 and 120 percent of the federal poverty

 9  level;

10         2.  Between 90 and 150 percent of the federal poverty

11  level if the Federal Government increases the federal Medicaid

12  match for persons with incomes between 100 and 150 percent of

13  the federal poverty level; or

14         3.  Between 90 percent of the federal poverty level and

15  a level that can be supported with funds provided in the

16  General Appropriations Act for the program offered under this

17  section along with federal matching funds approved by the

18  Federal Government under a Section 1115 waiver. The agency is

19  authorized to submit and implement a federal waiver pursuant

20  to provisions of this subparagraph. The agency shall design a

21  pharmacy benefit that includes annual per-member benefit

22  limits and cost-sharing provisions, and limits enrollment to

23  available appropriations and matching federal funds. Prior to

24  implementing this program, the agency must submit a budget

25  amendment pursuant to chapter 216;

26         (c)  Are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid;

27         (d)  Are not enrolled in a Medicare health maintenance

28  organization that provides a pharmacy benefit; and

29         (e)  Request to be enrolled in the program.

30  

31  

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 1         Section 11.  Subsections (7) and (9) of section

 2  409.907, Florida Statutes, as amended by section 6 of chapter

 3  2001-377, Laws of Florida, are amended to read:

 4         409.907  Medicaid provider agreements.--The agency may

 5  make payments for medical assistance and related services

 6  rendered to Medicaid recipients only to an individual or

 7  entity who has a provider agreement in effect with the agency,

 8  who is performing services or supplying goods in accordance

 9  with federal, state, and local law, and who agrees that no

10  person shall, on the grounds of handicap, race, color, or

11  national origin, or for any other reason, be subjected to

12  discrimination under any program or activity for which the

13  provider receives payment from the agency.

14         (7)  The agency may require, as a condition of

15  participating in the Medicaid program and before entering into

16  the provider agreement, that the provider submit information,

17  in an initial and any required renewal applications,

18  concerning the professional, business, and personal background

19  of the provider and permit an onsite inspection of the

20  provider's service location by agency staff or other personnel

21  designated by the agency to perform this function. After

22  receipt of the fully completed application of a new provider,

23  the agency shall perform onsite inspections of randomly

24  selected providers' service locations, to assist in

25  determining the applicant's ability to provide the services

26  that the applicant is proposing to provide for Medicaid

27  reimbursement. The agency is not required to perform an onsite

28  inspection of a provider or program that is licensed by the

29  agency or the Department of Health or of a provider that

30  provides services under home and community-based services

31  waiver programs or is licensed as a medical foster home by the

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 1  Department of Children and Family Services.  As a continuing

 2  condition of participation in the Medicaid program, a provider

 3  shall immediately notify the agency of any current or pending

 4  bankruptcy filing. Before entering into the provider

 5  agreement, or as a condition of continuing participation in

 6  the Medicaid program, the agency may also require that

 7  Medicaid providers reimbursed on a fee-for-services basis or

 8  fee schedule basis which is not cost-based, post a surety bond

 9  not to exceed $50,000 or the total amount billed by the

10  provider to the program during the current or most recent

11  calendar year, whichever is greater. For new providers, the

12  amount of the surety bond shall be determined by the agency

13  based on the provider's estimate of its first year's billing.

14  If the provider's billing during the first year exceeds the

15  bond amount, the agency may require the provider to acquire an

16  additional bond equal to the actual billing level of the

17  provider. A provider's bond shall not exceed $50,000 if a

18  physician or group of physicians licensed under chapter 458,

19  chapter 459, or chapter 460 has a 50 percent or greater

20  ownership interest in the provider or if the provider is an

21  assisted living facility licensed under part III of chapter

22  400. The bonds permitted by this section are in addition to

23  the bonds referenced in s. 400.179(4)(d). If the provider is a

24  corporation, partnership, association, or other entity, the

25  agency may require the provider to submit information

26  concerning the background of that entity and of any principal

27  of the entity, including any partner or shareholder having an

28  ownership interest in the entity equal to 5 percent or

29  greater, and any treating provider who participates in or

30  intends to participate in Medicaid through the entity. The

31  information must include:

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 1         (a)  Proof of holding a valid license or operating

 2  certificate, as applicable, if required by the state or local

 3  jurisdiction in which the provider is located or if required

 4  by the Federal Government.

 5         (b)  Information concerning any prior violation, fine,

 6  suspension, termination, or other administrative action taken

 7  under the Medicaid laws, rules, or regulations of this state

 8  or of any other state or the Federal Government; any prior

 9  violation of the laws, rules, or regulations relating to the

10  Medicare program; any prior violation of the rules or

11  regulations of any other public or private insurer; and any

12  prior violation of the laws, rules, or regulations of any

13  regulatory body of this or any other state.

14         (c)  Full and accurate disclosure of any financial or

15  ownership interest that the provider, or any principal,

16  partner, or major shareholder thereof, may hold in any other

17  Medicaid provider or health care related entity or any other

18  entity that is licensed by the state to provide health or

19  residential care and treatment to persons.

20         (d)  If a group provider, identification of all members

21  of the group and attestation that all members of the group are

22  enrolled in or have applied to enroll in the Medicaid program.

23         (9)  Upon receipt of a completed, signed, and dated

24  application, and completion of any necessary background

25  investigation and criminal history record check, the agency

26  must either:

27         (a)  Enroll the applicant as a Medicaid provider no

28  earlier than the effective date of the approval of the

29  provider application. With respect to providers who were

30  recently granted a change of ownership and those who primarily

31  provide emergency medical services transportation or emergency

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 1  services and care pursuant to s. 401.45 or s. 395.1041, and

 2  out-of-state providers, upon approval of the provider

 3  application, the effective date of approval is considered to

 4  be the date the agency receives the provider application; or

 5         (b)  Deny the application if the agency finds that it

 6  is in the best interest of the Medicaid program to do so. The

 7  agency may consider the factors listed in subsection (10), as

 8  well as any other factor that could affect the effective and

 9  efficient administration of the program, including, but not

10  limited to, the applicant's demonstrated ability to provide

11  services, conduct business, and operate a financially viable

12  concern; the current availability of medical care, services,

13  or supplies to recipients, taking into account geographic

14  location and reasonable travel time; the number of providers

15  of the same type already enrolled in the same geographic area;

16  and the credentials, experience, success, and patient outcomes

17  of the provider for the services that it is making application

18  to provide in the Medicaid program. The agency shall deny the

19  application if the agency finds that a provider; any officer,

20  director, agent, managing employee, or affiliated person; or

21  any partner or shareholder having an ownership interest of 5

22  percent or more in the provider if the provider is a

23  corporation, partnership, or other business entity has failed

24  to pay all outstanding fines or overpayments assessed by final

25  order of the agency or final order of the Centers for Medicare

26  and Medicaid Services, unless the provider agrees to a

27  repayment plan that includes withholding Medicaid

28  reimbursement until the amount due is paid in full.

29         Section 12.  Section 409.908, Florida Statutes, as

30  amended by section 7 of chapter 2001-377, Laws of Florida, is

31  amended to read:

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 1         409.908  Reimbursement of Medicaid providers.--Subject

 2  to specific appropriations, the agency shall reimburse

 3  Medicaid providers, in accordance with state and federal law,

 4  according to methodologies set forth in the rules of the

 5  agency and in policy manuals and handbooks incorporated by

 6  reference therein.  These methodologies may include fee

 7  schedules, reimbursement methods based on cost reporting,

 8  negotiated fees, competitive bidding pursuant to s. 287.057,

 9  and other mechanisms the agency considers efficient and

10  effective for purchasing services or goods on behalf of

11  recipients. If a provider is reimbursed based on cost

12  reporting and submits a cost report late and that cost report

13  would have been used to set a lower reimbursement rate for a

14  rate semester, then the provider's rate for that semester

15  shall be retroactively calculated using the new cost report,

16  and full payment at the recalculated rate shall be affected

17  retroactively. Medicare-granted extensions for filing cost

18  reports, if applicable, shall also apply to Medicaid cost

19  reports. Payment for Medicaid compensable services made on

20  behalf of Medicaid eligible persons is subject to the

21  availability of moneys and any limitations or directions

22  provided for in the General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.

23  Further, nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent

24  or limit the agency from adjusting fees, reimbursement rates,

25  lengths of stay, number of visits, or number of services, or

26  making any other adjustments necessary to comply with the

27  availability of moneys and any limitations or directions

28  provided for in the General Appropriations Act, provided the

29  adjustment is consistent with legislative intent.

30  

31  

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 1         (1)  Reimbursement to hospitals licensed under part I

 2  of chapter 395 must be made prospectively or on the basis of

 3  negotiation.

 4         (a)  Reimbursement for inpatient care is limited as

 5  provided for in s. 409.905(5), except for:

 6         1.  The raising of rate reimbursement caps, excluding

 7  rural hospitals.

 8         2.  Recognition of the costs of graduate medical

 9  education.

10         3.  Other methodologies recognized in the General

11  Appropriations Act.

12         4.  Hospital inpatient rates shall be reduced by 6

13  percent effective July 1, 2001, and restored effective April

14  1, 2002.

15  

16  During the years funds are transferred from the Department of

17  Health, any reimbursement supported by such funds shall be

18  subject to certification by the Department of Health that the

19  hospital has complied with s. 381.0403. The agency is

20  authorized to receive funds from state entities, including,

21  but not limited to, the Department of Health, local

22  governments, and other local political subdivisions, for the

23  purpose of making special exception payments, including

24  federal matching funds, through the Medicaid inpatient

25  reimbursement methodologies. Funds received from state

26  entities or local governments for this purpose shall be

27  separately accounted for and shall not be commingled with

28  other state or local funds in any manner. The agency may

29  certify all local governmental funds used as state match under

30  Title XIX of the Social Security Act, to the extent that the

31  identified local health care provider that is otherwise

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  entitled to and is contracted to receive such local funds is

 2  the benefactor under the state's Medicaid program as

 3  determined under the General Appropriations Act and pursuant

 4  to an agreement between the Agency for Health Care

 5  Administration and the local governmental entity. The local

 6  governmental entity shall use a certification form prescribed

 7  by the agency. At a minimum, the certification form shall

 8  identify the amount being certified and describe the

 9  relationship between the certifying local governmental entity

10  and the local health care provider. The agency shall prepare

11  an annual statement of impact which documents the specific

12  activities undertaken during the previous fiscal year pursuant

13  to this paragraph, to be submitted to the Legislature no later

14  than January 1, annually.

15         (b)  Reimbursement for hospital outpatient care is

16  limited to $1,500 per state fiscal year per recipient, except

17  for:

18         1.  Such care provided to a Medicaid recipient under

19  age 21, in which case the only limitation is medical

20  necessity.

21         2.  Renal dialysis services.

22         3.  Other exceptions made by the agency.

23  

24  The agency is authorized to receive funds from state entities,

25  including, but not limited to, the Department of Health, the

26  Board of Regents, local governments, and other local political

27  subdivisions, for the purpose of making payments, including

28  federal matching funds, through the Medicaid outpatient

29  reimbursement methodologies. Funds received from state

30  entities and local governments for this purpose shall be

31  

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  separately accounted for and shall not be commingled with

 2  other state or local funds in any manner.

 3         (c)  Hospitals that provide services to a

 4  disproportionate share of low-income Medicaid recipients, or

 5  that participate in the regional perinatal intensive care

 6  center program under chapter 383, or that participate in the

 7  statutory teaching hospital disproportionate share program may

 8  receive additional reimbursement. The total amount of payment

 9  for disproportionate share hospitals shall be fixed by the

10  General Appropriations Act. The computation of these payments

11  must be made in compliance with all federal regulations and

12  the methodologies described in ss. 409.911, 409.9112, and

13  409.9113.

14         (d)  The agency is authorized to limit inflationary

15  increases for outpatient hospital services as directed by the

16  General Appropriations Act.

17         (2)(a)1.  Reimbursement to nursing homes licensed under

18  part II of chapter 400 and state-owned-and-operated

19  intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled

20  licensed under chapter 393 must be made prospectively.

21         2.  Unless otherwise limited or directed in the General

22  Appropriations Act, reimbursement to hospitals licensed under

23  part I of chapter 395 for the provision of swing-bed nursing

24  home services must be made on the basis of the average

25  statewide nursing home payment, and reimbursement to a

26  hospital licensed under part I of chapter 395 for the

27  provision of skilled nursing services must be made on the

28  basis of the average nursing home payment for those services

29  in the county in which the hospital is located. When a

30  hospital is located in a county that does not have any

31  community nursing homes, reimbursement must be determined by

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 1  averaging the nursing home payments, in counties that surround

 2  the county in which the hospital is located. Reimbursement to

 3  hospitals, including Medicaid payment of Medicare copayments,

 4  for skilled nursing services shall be limited to 30 days,

 5  unless a prior authorization has been obtained from the

 6  agency. Medicaid reimbursement may be extended by the agency

 7  beyond 30 days, and approval must be based upon verification

 8  by the patient's physician that the patient requires

 9  short-term rehabilitative and recuperative services only, in

10  which case an extension of no more than 15 days may be

11  approved. Reimbursement to a hospital licensed under part I of

12  chapter 395 for the temporary provision of skilled nursing

13  services to nursing home residents who have been displaced as

14  the result of a natural disaster or other emergency may not

15  exceed the average county nursing home payment for those

16  services in the county in which the hospital is located and is

17  limited to the period of time which the agency considers

18  necessary for continued placement of the nursing home

19  residents in the hospital.

20         (b)  Subject to any limitations or directions provided

21  for in the General Appropriations Act, the agency shall

22  establish and implement a Florida Title XIX Long-Term Care

23  Reimbursement Plan (Medicaid) for nursing home care in order

24  to provide care and services in conformance with the

25  applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and

26  quality and safety standards and to ensure that individuals

27  eligible for medical assistance have reasonable geographic

28  access to such care.

29         1.  Changes of ownership or of licensed operator do not

30  qualify for increases in reimbursement rates associated with

31  the change of ownership or of licensed operator. The agency

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  shall amend the Title XIX Long Term Care Reimbursement Plan to

 2  provide that the initial nursing home reimbursement rates, for

 3  the operating, patient care, and MAR components, associated

 4  with related and unrelated party changes of ownership or

 5  licensed operator filed on or after September 1, 2001, are

 6  equivalent to the previous owner's reimbursement rate.

 7         2.  The agency shall amend the long-term care

 8  reimbursement plan and cost reporting system to create direct

 9  care and indirect care subcomponents of the patient care

10  component of the per diem rate. These two subcomponents

11  together shall equal the patient care component of the per

12  diem rate. Separate cost-based ceilings shall be calculated

13  for each patient care subcomponent. The direct care

14  subcomponent of the per diem rate shall be limited by the

15  cost-based class ceiling, and the indirect care subcomponent

16  shall be limited by the lower of the cost-based class ceiling,

17  by the target rate class ceiling, or by the individual

18  provider target. The agency shall adjust the patient care

19  component effective January 1, 2002. The cost to adjust the

20  direct care subcomponent shall be net of the total funds

21  previously allocated for the case mix add-on. The agency shall

22  make the required changes to the nursing home cost reporting

23  forms to implement this requirement effective January 1, 2002.

24         3.  The direct care subcomponent shall include salaries

25  and benefits of direct care staff providing nursing services

26  including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and

27  certified nursing assistants who deliver care directly to

28  residents in the nursing home facility. This excludes nursing

29  administration, MDS, and care plan coordinators, staff

30  development, and staffing coordinator.

31  

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 1         4.  All other patient care costs shall be included in

 2  the indirect care cost subcomponent of the patient care per

 3  diem rate. There shall be no costs directly or indirectly

 4  allocated to the direct care subcomponent from a home office

 5  or management company.

 6         5.  On July 1 of each year, the agency shall report to

 7  the Legislature direct and indirect care costs, including

 8  average direct and indirect care costs per resident per

 9  facility and direct care and indirect care salaries and

10  benefits per category of staff member per facility.

11         6.  In order to offset the cost of general and

12  professional liability insurance, the agency shall amend Under

13  the plan to allow for, interim rate adjustments shall not be

14  granted to reflect increases in the cost of general or

15  professional liability insurance for nursing homes unless the

16  following criteria are met: have at least a 65 percent

17  Medicaid utilization in the most recent cost report submitted

18  to the agency, and the increase in general or professional

19  liability costs to the facility for the most recent policy

20  period affects the total Medicaid per diem by at least 5

21  percent. This rate adjustment shall not result in the per diem

22  exceeding the class ceiling. This provision shall be

23  implemented to the extent existing appropriations are

24  available. The agency shall adjust the operating component of

25  the per diem rate to allow for an add-on for general and

26  professional liability insurance for nursing facilities,

27  effective July 1, 2002. The add-on shall be calculated by

28  multiplying $500 times the number of Medicaid certified beds

29  divided by the total patient days as reported on the cost

30  report used for the July 2002 rate setting. The total

31  operating cost per diem, including the add-on, shall not be

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  greater than the provider's actual, inflated operating cost

 2  per diem.

 3  

 4  It is the intent of the Legislature that the reimbursement

 5  plan achieve the goal of providing access to health care for

 6  nursing home residents who require large amounts of care while

 7  encouraging diversion services as an alternative to nursing

 8  home care for residents who can be served within the

 9  community. The agency shall base the establishment of any

10  maximum rate of payment, whether overall or component, on the

11  available moneys as provided for in the General Appropriations

12  Act. The agency may base the maximum rate of payment on the

13  results of scientifically valid analysis and conclusions

14  derived from objective statistical data pertinent to the

15  particular maximum rate of payment.

16         (3)  Subject to any limitations or directions provided

17  for in the General Appropriations Act, the following Medicaid

18  services and goods may be reimbursed on a fee-for-service

19  basis. For each allowable service or goods furnished in

20  accordance with Medicaid rules, policy manuals, handbooks, and

21  state and federal law, the payment shall be the amount billed

22  by the provider, the provider's usual and customary charge, or

23  the maximum allowable fee established by the agency, whichever

24  amount is less, with the exception of those services or goods

25  for which the agency makes payment using a methodology based

26  on capitation rates, average costs, or negotiated fees.

27         (a)  Advanced registered nurse practitioner services.

28         (b)  Birth center services.

29         (c)  Chiropractic services.

30         (d)  Community mental health services.

31  

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 1         (e)  Dental services, including oral and maxillofacial

 2  surgery.

 3         (f)  Durable medical equipment.

 4         (g)  Hearing services.

 5         (h)  Occupational therapy for Medicaid recipients under

 6  age 21.

 7         (i)  Optometric services.

 8         (j)  Orthodontic services.

 9         (k)  Personal care for Medicaid recipients under age

10  21.

11         (l)  Physical therapy for Medicaid recipients under age

12  21.

13         (m)  Physician assistant services.

14         (n)  Podiatric services.

15         (o)  Portable X-ray services.

16         (p)  Private-duty nursing for Medicaid recipients under

17  age 21.

18         (q)  Registered nurse first assistant services.

19         (r)  Respiratory therapy for Medicaid recipients under

20  age 21.

21         (s)  Speech therapy for Medicaid recipients under age

22  21.

23         (t)  Visual services.

24         (4)  Subject to any limitations or directions provided

25  for in the General Appropriations Act, alternative health

26  plans, health maintenance organizations, and prepaid health

27  plans shall be reimbursed a fixed, prepaid amount negotiated,

28  or competitively bid pursuant to s. 287.057, by the agency and

29  prospectively paid to the provider monthly for each Medicaid

30  recipient enrolled.  The amount may not exceed the average

31  amount the agency determines it would have paid, based on

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    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 59-E

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 1  claims experience, for recipients in the same or similar

 2  category of eligibility.  The agency shall calculate

 3  capitation rates on a regional basis and, beginning September

 4  1, 1995, shall include age-band differentials in such

 5  calculations. Effective July 1, 2001, the cost of exempting

 6  statutory teaching hospitals, specialty hospitals, and

 7  community hospital education program hospitals from

 8  reimbursement ceilings and the cost of special Medicaid

 9  payments shall not be included in premiums paid to health

10  maintenance organizations or prepaid health care plans. Each

11  rate semester, the agency shall calculate and publish a

12  Medicaid hospital rate schedule that does not reflect either

13  special Medicaid payments or the elimination of rate

14  reimbursement ceilings, to be used by hospitals and Medicaid

15  health maintenance organizations, in order to determine the

16  Medicaid rate referred to in ss. 409.912(16), 409.9128(5), and

17  641.513(6).

18         (5)  An ambulatory surgical center shall be reimbursed

19  the lesser of the amount billed by the provider or the

20  Medicare-established allowable amount for the facility.

21         (6)  A provider of early and periodic screening,

22  diagnosis, and treatment services to Medicaid recipients who

23  are children under age 21 shall be reimbursed using an

24  all-inclusive rate stipulated in a fee schedule established by

25  the agency. A provider of the visual, dental, and hearing

26  components of such services shall be reimbursed the lesser of

27  the amount billed by the provider or the Medicaid maximum

28  allowable fee established by the agency.

29         (7)  A provider of family planning services shall be

30  reimbursed the lesser of the amount billed by the provider or

31  an all-inclusive amount per type of visit for physicians and

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 1  advanced registered nurse practitioners, as established by the

 2  agency in a fee schedule.

 3         (8)  A provider of home-based or community-based

 4  services rendered pursuant to a federally approved waiver

 5  shall be reimbursed based on an established or negotiated rate

 6  for each service. These rates shall be established according

 7  to an analysis of the expenditure history and prospective

 8  budget developed by each contract provider participating in

 9  the waiver program, or under any other methodology adopted by

10  the agency and approved by the Federal Government in

11  accordance with the waiver. Effective July 1, 1996, privately

12  owned and operated community-based residential facilities

13  which meet agency requirements and which formerly received

14  Medicaid reimbursement for the optional intermediate care

15  facility for the mentally retarded service may participate in

16  the developmental services waiver as part of a

17  home-and-community-based continuum of care for Medicaid

18  recipients who receive waiver services.

19         (9)  A provider of home health care services or of

20  medical supplies and appliances shall be reimbursed on the

21  basis of competitive bidding or for the lesser of the amount

22  billed by the provider or the agency's established maximum

23  allowable amount, except that, in the case of the rental of

24  durable medical equipment, the total rental payments may not

25  exceed the purchase price of the equipment over its expected

26  useful life or the agency's established maximum allowable

27  amount, whichever amount is less.

28         (10)  A hospice shall be reimbursed through a

29  prospective system for each Medicaid hospice patient at

30  Medicaid rates using the methodology established for hospice

31  

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 1  reimbursement pursuant to Title XVIII of the federal Social

 2  Security Act.

 3         (11)  A provider of independent laboratory services

 4  shall be reimbursed on the basis of competitive bidding or for

 5  the least of the amount billed by the provider, the provider's

 6  usual and customary charge, or the Medicaid maximum allowable

 7  fee established by the agency.

 8         (12)(a)  A physician shall be reimbursed the lesser of

 9  the amount billed by the provider or the Medicaid maximum

10  allowable fee established by the agency.

11         (b)  The agency shall adopt a fee schedule, subject to

12  any limitations or directions provided for in the General

13  Appropriations Act, based on a resource-based relative value

14  scale for pricing Medicaid physician services. Under this fee

15  schedule, physicians shall be paid a dollar amount for each

16  service based on the average resources required to provide the

17  service, including, but not limited to, estimates of average

18  physician time and effort, practice expense, and the costs of

19  professional liability insurance.  The fee schedule shall

20  provide increased reimbursement for preventive and primary

21  care services and lowered reimbursement for specialty services

22  by using at least two conversion factors, one for cognitive

23  services and another for procedural services.  The fee

24  schedule shall not increase total Medicaid physician

25  expenditures unless moneys are available, and shall be phased

26  in over a 2-year period beginning on July 1, 1994. The Agency

27  for Health Care Administration shall seek the advice of a

28  16-member advisory panel in formulating and adopting the fee

29  schedule.  The panel shall consist of Medicaid physicians

30  licensed under chapters 458 and 459 and shall be composed of

31  

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 1  50 percent primary care physicians and 50 percent specialty

 2  care physicians.

 3         (c)  Notwithstanding paragraph (b), reimbursement fees

 4  to physicians for providing total obstetrical services to

 5  Medicaid recipients, which include prenatal, delivery, and

 6  postpartum care, shall be at least $1,500 per delivery for a

 7  pregnant woman with low medical risk and at least $2,000 per

 8  delivery for a pregnant woman with high medical risk. However,

 9  reimbursement to physicians working in Regional Perinatal

10  Intensive Care Centers designated pursuant to chapter 383, for

11  services to certain pregnant Medicaid recipients with a high

12  medical risk, may be made according to obstetrical care and

13  neonatal care groupings and rates established by the agency.

14  Nurse midwives licensed under part I of chapter 464 or

15  midwives licensed under chapter 467 shall be reimbursed at no

16  less than 80 percent of the low medical risk fee. The agency

17  shall by rule determine, for the purpose of this paragraph,

18  what constitutes a high or low medical risk pregnant woman and

19  shall not pay more based solely on the fact that a caesarean

20  section was performed, rather than a vaginal delivery. The

21  agency shall by rule determine a prorated payment for

22  obstetrical services in cases where only part of the total

23  prenatal, delivery, or postpartum care was performed. The

24  Department of Health shall adopt rules for appropriate

25  insurance coverage for midwives licensed under chapter 467.

26  Prior to the issuance and renewal of an active license, or

27  reactivation of an inactive license for midwives licensed

28  under chapter 467, such licensees shall submit proof of

29  coverage with each application.

30         (d)  For fiscal years 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 the

31  2001-2002 fiscal year only and if necessary to meet the

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 1  requirements for grants and donations for the special Medicaid

 2  payments authorized in the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 General

 3  Appropriations Acts Act, the agency may make special Medicaid

 4  payments to qualified Medicaid providers designated by the

 5  agency, notwithstanding any provision of this subsection to

 6  the contrary, and may use intergovernmental transfers from

 7  state entities or other governmental entities to serve as the

 8  state share of such payments.

 9         (13)  Medicare premiums for persons eligible for both

10  Medicare and Medicaid coverage shall be paid at the rates

11  established by Title XVIII of the Social Security Act.  For

12  Medicare services rendered to Medicaid-eligible persons,

13  Medicaid shall pay Medicare deductibles and coinsurance as

14  follows:

15         (a)  Medicaid shall make no payment toward deductibles

16  and coinsurance for any service that is not covered by

17  Medicaid.

18         (b)  Medicaid's financial obligation for deductibles

19  and coinsurance payments shall be based on Medicare allowable

20  fees, not on a provider's billed charges.

21         (c)  Medicaid will pay no portion of Medicare

22  deductibles and coinsurance when payment that Medicare has

23  made for the service equals or exceeds what Medicaid would

24  have paid if it had been the sole payor.  The combined payment

25  of Medicare and Medicaid shall not exceed the amount Medicaid

26  would have paid had it been the sole payor. The Legislature

27  finds that there has been confusion regarding the

28  reimbursement for services rendered to dually eligible

29  Medicare beneficiaries. Accordingly, the Legislature clarifies

30  that it has always been the intent of the Legislature before

31  and after 1991 that, in reimbursing in accordance with fees

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 1  established by Title XVIII for premiums, deductibles, and

 2  coinsurance for Medicare services rendered by physicians to

 3  Medicaid eligible persons, physicians be reimbursed at the

 4  lesser of the amount billed by the physician or the Medicaid

 5  maximum allowable fee established by the Agency for Health

 6  Care Administration, as is permitted by federal law. It has

 7  never been the intent of the Legislature with regard to such

 8  services rendered by physicians that Medicaid be required to

 9  provide any payment for deductibles, coinsurance, or

10  copayments for Medicare cost sharing, or any expenses incurred

11  relating thereto, in excess of the payment amount provided for

12  under the State Medicaid plan for such service. This payment

13  methodology is applicable even in those situations in which

14  the payment for Medicare cost sharing for a qualified Medicare

15  beneficiary with respect to an item or service is reduced or

16  eliminated. This expression of the Legislature is in

17  clarification of existing law and shall apply to payment for,

18  and with respect to provider agreements with respect to, items

19  or services furnished on or after the effective date of this

20  act. This paragraph applies to payment by Medicaid for items

21  and services furnished before the effective date of this act

22  if such payment is the subject of a lawsuit that is based on

23  the provisions of this section, and that is pending as of, or

24  is initiated after, the effective date of this act.

25         (d)  Notwithstanding paragraphs (a)-(c):

26         1.  Medicaid payments for Nursing Home Medicare part A

27  coinsurance shall be the lesser of the Medicare coinsurance

28  amount or the Medicaid nursing home per diem rate.

29         2.  Medicaid shall pay all deductibles and coinsurance

30  for Medicare-eligible recipients receiving freestanding end

31  stage renal dialysis center services.

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 1         3.  Medicaid payments for general hospital inpatient

 2  services shall be limited to the Medicare deductible per spell

 3  of illness.  Medicaid shall make no payment toward coinsurance

 4  for Medicare general hospital inpatient services.

 5         4.  Medicaid shall pay all deductibles and coinsurance

 6  for Medicare emergency transportation services provided by

 7  ambulances licensed pursuant to chapter 401.

 8         (14)  A provider of prescribed drugs shall be

 9  reimbursed the least of the amount billed by the provider, the

10  provider's usual and customary charge, or the Medicaid maximum

11  allowable fee established by the agency, plus a dispensing

12  fee. The agency is directed to implement a variable dispensing

13  fee for payments for prescribed medicines while ensuring

14  continued access for Medicaid recipients.  The variable

15  dispensing fee may be based upon, but not limited to, either

16  or both the volume of prescriptions dispensed by a specific

17  pharmacy provider, the volume of prescriptions dispensed to an

18  individual recipient, and dispensing of preferred-drug-list

19  products. The agency shall increase the pharmacy dispensing

20  fee authorized by statute and in the annual General

21  Appropriations Act by $0.50 for the dispensing of a Medicaid

22  preferred-drug-list product and reduce the pharmacy dispensing

23  fee by $0.50 for the dispensing of a Medicaid product that is

24  not included on the preferred-drug list. The agency is

25  authorized to limit reimbursement for prescribed medicine in

26  order to comply with any limitations or directions provided

27  for in the General Appropriations Act, which may include

28  implementing a prospective or concurrent utilization review

29  program.

30         (15)  A provider of primary care case management

31  services rendered pursuant to a federally approved waiver

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 1  shall be reimbursed by payment of a fixed, prepaid monthly sum

 2  for each Medicaid recipient enrolled with the provider.

 3         (16)  A provider of rural health clinic services and

 4  federally qualified health center services shall be reimbursed

 5  a rate per visit based on total reasonable costs of the

 6  clinic, as determined by the agency in accordance with federal

 7  regulations.

 8         (17)  A provider of targeted case management services

 9  shall be reimbursed pursuant to an established fee, except

10  where the Federal Government requires a public provider be

11  reimbursed on the basis of average actual costs.

12         (18)  Unless otherwise provided for in the General

13  Appropriations Act, a provider of transportation services

14  shall be reimbursed the lesser of the amount billed by the

15  provider or the Medicaid maximum allowable fee established by

16  the agency, except when the agency has entered into a direct

17  contract with the provider, or with a community transportation

18  coordinator, for the provision of an all-inclusive service, or

19  when services are provided pursuant to an agreement negotiated

20  between the agency and the provider.  The agency, as provided

21  for in s. 427.0135, shall purchase transportation services

22  through the community coordinated transportation system, if

23  available, unless the agency determines a more cost-effective

24  method for Medicaid clients. Nothing in this subsection shall

25  be construed to limit or preclude the agency from contracting

26  for services using a prepaid capitation rate or from

27  establishing maximum fee schedules, individualized

28  reimbursement policies by provider type, negotiated fees,

29  prior authorization, competitive bidding, increased use of

30  mass transit, or any other mechanism that the agency considers

31  efficient and effective for the purchase of services on behalf

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 1  of Medicaid clients, including implementing a transportation

 2  eligibility process. The agency shall not be required to

 3  contract with any community transportation coordinator or

 4  transportation operator that has been determined by the

 5  agency, the Department of Legal Affairs Medicaid Fraud Control

 6  Unit, or any other state or federal agency to have engaged in

 7  any abusive or fraudulent billing activities. The agency is

 8  authorized to competitively procure transportation services or

 9  make other changes necessary to secure approval of federal

10  waivers needed to permit federal financing of Medicaid

11  transportation services at the service matching rate rather

12  than the administrative matching rate.

13         (19)  County health department services may be

14  reimbursed a rate per visit based on total reasonable costs of

15  the clinic, as determined by the agency in accordance with

16  federal regulations under the authority of 42 C.F.R. s.

17  431.615.

18         (20)  A renal dialysis facility that provides dialysis

19  services under s. 409.906(9) must be reimbursed the lesser of

20  the amount billed by the provider, the provider's usual and

21  customary charge, or the maximum allowable fee established by

22  the agency, whichever amount is less.

23         (21)  The agency shall reimburse school districts which

24  certify the state match pursuant to ss. 236.0812 and 409.9071

25  for the federal portion of the school district's allowable

26  costs to deliver the services, based on the reimbursement

27  schedule.  The school district shall determine the costs for

28  delivering services as authorized in ss. 236.0812 and 409.9071

29  for which the state match will be certified. Reimbursement of

30  school-based providers is contingent on such providers being

31  enrolled as Medicaid providers and meeting the qualifications

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 1  contained in 42 C.F.R. s. 440.110, unless otherwise waived by

 2  the federal Health Care Financing Administration. Speech

 3  therapy providers who are certified through the Department of

 4  Education pursuant to rule 6A-4.0176, Florida Administrative

 5  Code, are eligible for reimbursement for services that are

 6  provided on school premises. Any employee of the school

 7  district who has been fingerprinted and has received a

 8  criminal background check in accordance with Department of

 9  Education rules and guidelines shall be exempt from any agency

10  requirements relating to criminal background checks.

11         (22)  The agency shall request and implement Medicaid

12  waivers from the federal Health Care Financing Administration

13  to advance and treat a portion of the Medicaid nursing home

14  per diem as capital for creating and operating a

15  risk-retention group for self-insurance purposes, consistent

16  with federal and state laws and rules.

17         Section 13.  Subsection (1) of section 409.911, Florida

18  Statutes, is amended to read:

19         409.911  Disproportionate share program.--Subject to

20  specific allocations established within the General

21  Appropriations Act and any limitations established pursuant to

22  chapter 216, the agency shall distribute, pursuant to this

23  section, moneys to hospitals providing a disproportionate

24  share of Medicaid or charity care services by making quarterly

25  Medicaid payments as required. Notwithstanding the provisions

26  of s. 409.915, counties are exempt from contributing toward

27  the cost of this special reimbursement for hospitals serving a

28  disproportionate share of low-income patients.

29         (1)  Definitions.--As used in this section, and s.

30  409.9112, and the Florida Hospital Uniform Reporting System

31  manual:

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 1         (a)  "Adjusted patient days" means the sum of acute

 2  care patient days and intensive care patient days as reported

 3  to the Agency for Health Care Administration, divided by the

 4  ratio of inpatient revenues generated from acute, intensive,

 5  ambulatory, and ancillary patient services to gross revenues.

 6         (b)  "Actual audited data" or "actual audited

 7  experience" means data reported to the Agency for Health Care

 8  Administration which has been audited in accordance with

 9  generally accepted auditing standards by the agency or

10  representatives under contract with the agency.

11         (c)  "Base Medicaid per diem" means the hospital's

12  Medicaid per diem rate initially established by the Agency for

13  Health Care Administration on January 1, 1999. The base

14  Medicaid per diem rate shall not include any additional per

15  diem increases received as a result of the disproportionate

16  share distribution.

17         (d)  "Charity care" or "uncompensated charity care"

18  means that portion of hospital charges reported to the Agency

19  for Health Care Administration for which there is no

20  compensation, other than restricted or unrestricted revenues

21  provided to a hospital by local governments or tax districts

22  regardless of the method of payment, for care provided to a

23  patient whose family income for the 12 months preceding the

24  determination is less than or equal to 200 percent of the

25  federal poverty level, unless the amount of hospital charges

26  due from the patient exceeds 25 percent of the annual family

27  income.  However, in no case shall the hospital charges for a

28  patient whose family income exceeds four times the federal

29  poverty level for a family of four be considered charity.

30         (e)  "Charity care days" means the sum of the

31  deductions from revenues for charity care minus 50 percent of

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 1  restricted and unrestricted revenues provided to a hospital by

 2  local governments or tax districts, divided by gross revenues

 3  per adjusted patient day.

 4         (f)  "Disproportionate share percentage" means a rate

 5  of increase in the Medicaid per diem rate as calculated under

 6  this section.

 7         (g)  "Hospital" means a health care institution

 8  licensed as a hospital pursuant to chapter 395, but does not

 9  include ambulatory surgical centers.

10         (h)  "Medicaid days" means the number of actual days

11  attributable to Medicaid patients as determined by the Agency

12  for Health Care Administration.

13         Section 14.  Subsection (7) of section 409.9116,

14  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

15         409.9116  Disproportionate share/financial assistance

16  program for rural hospitals.--In addition to the payments made

17  under s. 409.911, the Agency for Health Care Administration

18  shall administer a federally matched disproportionate share

19  program and a state-funded financial assistance program for

20  statutory rural hospitals. The agency shall make

21  disproportionate share payments to statutory rural hospitals

22  that qualify for such payments and financial assistance

23  payments to statutory rural hospitals that do not qualify for

24  disproportionate share payments. The disproportionate share

25  program payments shall be limited by and conform with federal

26  requirements. Funds shall be distributed quarterly in each

27  fiscal year for which an appropriation is made.

28  Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 409.915, counties are

29  exempt from contributing toward the cost of this special

30  reimbursement for hospitals serving a disproportionate share

31  of low-income patients.

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 1         (7)  This section applies only to hospitals that were

 2  defined as statutory rural hospitals, or their

 3  successor-in-interest hospital, prior to July 1, 1999 1998.

 4  Any additional hospital that is defined as a statutory rural

 5  hospital, or its successor-in-interest hospital, on or after

 6  July 1, 1999 1998, is not eligible for programs under this

 7  section unless additional funds are appropriated each fiscal

 8  year specifically to the rural hospital disproportionate share

 9  and financial assistance programs in an amount necessary to

10  prevent any hospital, or its successor-in-interest hospital,

11  eligible for the programs prior to July 1, 1999 1998, from

12  incurring a reduction in payments because of the eligibility

13  of an additional hospital to participate in the programs. A

14  hospital, or its successor-in-interest hospital, which

15  received funds pursuant to this section before July 1, 1999

16  1998, and which qualifies under s. 395.602(2)(e), shall be

17  included in the programs under this section and is not

18  required to seek additional appropriations under this

19  subsection.

20         Section 15.  Subsection (7) of section 409.91195,

21  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

22         409.91195  Medicaid Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics

23  Committee.--There is created a Medicaid Pharmaceutical and

24  Therapeutics Committee within the Agency for Health Care

25  Administration for the purpose of developing a preferred drug

26  formulary pursuant to 42 U.S.C. s. 1396r-8.

27         (7)  The committee shall ensure that interested

28  parties, including pharmaceutical manufacturers agreeing to

29  provide a supplemental rebate as outlined in this chapter,

30  have an opportunity to present public testimony to the

31  committee with information or evidence supporting inclusion of

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 1  a product on the preferred drug list. Such public testimony

 2  shall occur prior to any recommendations made by the committee

 3  for inclusion or exclusion from the preferred drug list. Upon

 4  timely notice, the agency shall ensure that any drug that has

 5  been approved or had any of its particular uses approved by

 6  the United States Food and Drug Administration under a

 7  priority review classification will be reviewed by the

 8  Medicaid Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee at the next

 9  regularly scheduled meeting. To the extent possible, upon

10  notice by a manufacturer the agency shall also schedule a

11  product review for any new product at the next regularly

12  scheduled Medicaid Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee.

13         Section 16.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) and

14  paragraph (b) of subsection (13) of section 409.912, Florida

15  Statutes, are amended to read:

16         409.912  Cost-effective purchasing of health care.--The

17  agency shall purchase goods and services for Medicaid

18  recipients in the most cost-effective manner consistent with

19  the delivery of quality medical care.  The agency shall

20  maximize the use of prepaid per capita and prepaid aggregate

21  fixed-sum basis services when appropriate and other

22  alternative service delivery and reimbursement methodologies,

23  including competitive bidding pursuant to s. 287.057, designed

24  to facilitate the cost-effective purchase of a case-managed

25  continuum of care. The agency shall also require providers to

26  minimize the exposure of recipients to the need for acute

27  inpatient, custodial, and other institutional care and the

28  inappropriate or unnecessary use of high-cost services. The

29  agency may establish prior authorization requirements for

30  certain populations of Medicaid beneficiaries, certain drug

31  classes, or particular drugs to prevent fraud, abuse, overuse,

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 1  and possible dangerous drug interactions. The Pharmaceutical

 2  and Therapeutics Committee shall make recommendations to the

 3  agency on drugs for which prior authorization is required. The

 4  agency shall inform the Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics

 5  Committee of its decisions regarding drugs subject to prior

 6  authorization.

 7         (3)  The agency may contract with:

 8         (b)  An entity that is providing comprehensive

 9  behavioral health care services to certain Medicaid recipients

10  through a capitated, prepaid arrangement pursuant to the

11  federal waiver provided for by s. 409.905(5). Such an entity

12  must be licensed under chapter 624, chapter 636, or chapter

13  641 and must possess the clinical systems and operational

14  competence to manage risk and provide comprehensive behavioral

15  health care to Medicaid recipients. As used in this paragraph,

16  the term "comprehensive behavioral health care services" means

17  covered mental health and substance abuse treatment services

18  that are available to Medicaid recipients. The secretary of

19  the Department of Children and Family Services shall approve

20  provisions of procurements related to children in the

21  department's care or custody prior to enrolling such children

22  in a prepaid behavioral health plan. Any contract awarded

23  under this paragraph must be competitively procured. In

24  developing the behavioral health care prepaid plan procurement

25  document, the agency shall ensure that the procurement

26  document requires the contractor to develop and implement a

27  plan to ensure compliance with s. 394.4574 related to services

28  provided to residents of licensed assisted living facilities

29  that hold a limited mental health license. The agency must

30  ensure that Medicaid recipients have available the choice of

31  at least two managed care plans for their behavioral health

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 1  care services. To ensure unimpaired access to behavioral

 2  health care services by Medicaid recipients, all contracts

 3  issued pursuant to this paragraph shall require 80 percent of

 4  the capitation paid to the managed care plan, including health

 5  maintenance organizations, to be expended for the provision of

 6  behavioral health care services. In the event the managed care

 7  plan expends less than 80 percent of the capitation paid

 8  pursuant to this paragraph for the provision of behavioral

 9  health care services, the difference shall be returned to the

10  agency. The agency shall provide the managed care plan with a

11  certification letter indicating the amount of capitation paid

12  during each calendar year for the provision of behavioral

13  health care services pursuant to this section. The agency may

14  reimburse for substance-abuse-treatment services on a

15  fee-for-service basis until the agency finds that adequate

16  funds are available for capitated, prepaid arrangements.

17         1.  By January 1, 2001, the agency shall modify the

18  contracts with the entities providing comprehensive inpatient

19  and outpatient mental health care services to Medicaid

20  recipients in Hillsborough, Highlands, Hardee, Manatee, and

21  Polk Counties, to include substance-abuse-treatment services.

22         2.  By December 31, 2001, the agency shall contract

23  with entities providing comprehensive behavioral health care

24  services to Medicaid recipients through capitated, prepaid

25  arrangements in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Escambia, Glades,

26  Hendry, Lee, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Sarasota,

27  and Walton Counties. The agency may contract with entities

28  providing comprehensive behavioral health care services to

29  Medicaid recipients through capitated, prepaid arrangements in

30  Alachua County. The agency may determine if Sarasota County

31  

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 1  shall be included as a separate catchment area or included in

 2  any other agency geographic area.

 3         3.  Children residing in a Department of Juvenile

 4  Justice residential program approved as a Medicaid behavioral

 5  health overlay services provider shall not be included in a

 6  behavioral health care prepaid health plan pursuant to this

 7  paragraph.

 8         4.  In converting to a prepaid system of delivery, the

 9  agency shall in its procurement document require an entity

10  providing comprehensive behavioral health care services to

11  prevent the displacement of indigent care patients by

12  enrollees in the Medicaid prepaid health plan providing

13  behavioral health care services from facilities receiving

14  state funding to provide indigent behavioral health care, to

15  facilities licensed under chapter 395 which do not receive

16  state funding for indigent behavioral health care, or

17  reimburse the unsubsidized facility for the cost of behavioral

18  health care provided to the displaced indigent care patient.

19         5.  Traditional community mental health providers under

20  contract with the Department of Children and Family Services

21  pursuant to part IV of chapter 394 and inpatient mental health

22  providers licensed pursuant to chapter 395 must be offered an

23  opportunity to accept or decline a contract to participate in

24  any provider network for prepaid behavioral health services.

25         (13)

26         (b)  The responsibility of the agency under this

27  subsection shall include the development of capabilities to

28  identify actual and optimal practice patterns; patient and

29  provider educational initiatives; methods for determining

30  patient compliance with prescribed treatments; fraud, waste,

31  

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 1  and abuse prevention and detection programs; and beneficiary

 2  case management programs.

 3         1.  The practice pattern identification program shall

 4  evaluate practitioner prescribing patterns based on national

 5  and regional practice guidelines, comparing practitioners to

 6  their peer groups. The agency and its Drug Utilization Review

 7  Board shall consult with a panel of practicing health care

 8  professionals consisting of the following: the Speaker of the

 9  House of Representatives and the President of the Senate shall

10  each appoint three physicians licensed under chapter 458 or

11  chapter 459; and the Governor shall appoint two pharmacists

12  licensed under chapter 465 and one dentist licensed under

13  chapter 466 who is an oral surgeon. Terms of the panel members

14  shall expire at the discretion of the appointing official. The

15  panel shall begin its work by August 1, 1999, regardless of

16  the number of appointments made by that date. The advisory

17  panel shall be responsible for evaluating treatment guidelines

18  and recommending ways to incorporate their use in the practice

19  pattern identification program. Practitioners who are

20  prescribing inappropriately or inefficiently, as determined by

21  the agency, may have their prescribing of certain drugs

22  subject to prior authorization.

23         2.  The agency shall also develop educational

24  interventions designed to promote the proper use of

25  medications by providers and beneficiaries.

26         3.  The agency shall implement a pharmacy fraud, waste,

27  and abuse initiative that may include a surety bond or letter

28  of credit requirement for participating pharmacies, enhanced

29  provider auditing practices, the use of additional fraud and

30  abuse software, recipient management programs for

31  beneficiaries inappropriately using their benefits, and other

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 1  steps that will eliminate provider and recipient fraud, waste,

 2  and abuse. The initiative shall address enforcement efforts to

 3  reduce the number and use of counterfeit prescriptions.

 4         4.  By September 30, 2002, the agency shall contract

 5  with an entity in the state to implement a wireless handheld

 6  clinical pharmacology drug information database for

 7  practitioners. The initiative shall be designed to enhance the

 8  agency's efforts to reduce fraud, abuse, and errors in the

 9  prescription drug benefit program and to otherwise further the

10  intent of this paragraph.

11         5.4.  The agency may apply for any federal waivers

12  needed to implement this paragraph.

13         Section 17.  Paragraphs (f) and (k) of subsection (2)

14  of section 409.9122, Florida Statutes, as amended by section

15  11 of chapter 2001-377, Laws of Florida, are amended to read:

16         409.9122  Mandatory Medicaid managed care enrollment;

17  programs and procedures.--

18         (2)

19         (f)  When a Medicaid recipient does not choose a

20  managed care plan or MediPass provider, the agency shall

21  assign the Medicaid recipient to a managed care plan or

22  MediPass provider. Medicaid recipients who are subject to

23  mandatory assignment but who fail to make a choice shall be

24  assigned to managed care plans or provider service networks

25  until an equal enrollment of 45 50 percent in MediPass and 55

26  50 percent in managed care plans is achieved.  Once that equal

27  enrollment is achieved, the assignments shall be divided in

28  order to maintain an equal enrollment in MediPass and managed

29  care plans which is in a 45 percent and 55 percent proportion,

30  respectively. Thereafter, assignment of Medicaid recipients

31  who fail to make a choice shall be based proportionally on the

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 1  preferences of recipients who have made a choice in the

 2  previous period. Such proportions shall be revised at least

 3  quarterly to reflect an update of the preferences of Medicaid

 4  recipients. The agency shall also disproportionately assign

 5  Medicaid-eligible children in families who are required to but

 6  have failed to make a choice of managed care plan or MediPass

 7  for their child and who are to be assigned to the MediPass

 8  program or managed care plans to children's networks as

 9  described in s. 409.912(3)(g) and where available. The

10  disproportionate assignment of children to children's networks

11  shall be made until the agency has determined that the

12  children's networks have sufficient numbers to be economically

13  operated. In geographic areas where the agency is contracting

14  for the provision of comprehensive behavioral health services

15  through a capitated prepaid arrangement, recipients who fail

16  to make a choice shall be assigned equally to MediPass or a

17  managed care plan. For purposes of this paragraph, when

18  referring to assignment, the term "managed care plans"

19  includes exclusive provider organizations, provider service

20  networks, Children's Medical Services primary and specialty

21  networks, minority physician networks, and pediatric emergency

22  department diversion programs authorized by this chapter or

23  the General Appropriations Act. When making assignments, the

24  agency shall take into account the following criteria:

25         1.  A managed care plan has sufficient network capacity

26  to meet the need of members.

27         2.  The managed care plan or MediPass has previously

28  enrolled the recipient as a member, or one of the managed care

29  plan's primary care providers or MediPass providers has

30  previously provided health care to the recipient.

31  

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 1         3.  The agency has knowledge that the member has

 2  previously expressed a preference for a particular managed

 3  care plan or MediPass provider as indicated by Medicaid

 4  fee-for-service claims data, but has failed to make a choice.

 5         4.  The managed care plan's or MediPass primary care

 6  providers are geographically accessible to the recipient's

 7  residence.

 8         (k)  When a Medicaid recipient does not choose a

 9  managed care plan or MediPass provider, the agency shall

10  assign the Medicaid recipient to a managed care plan, except

11  in those counties in which there are fewer than two managed

12  care plans accepting Medicaid enrollees, in which case

13  assignment shall be to a managed care plan or a MediPass

14  provider. Medicaid recipients in counties with fewer than two

15  managed care plans accepting Medicaid enrollees who are

16  subject to mandatory assignment but who fail to make a choice

17  shall be assigned to managed care plans until an equal

18  enrollment of 45 50 percent in MediPass and provider service

19  networks and 55 50 percent in managed care plans is achieved.

20  Once that equal enrollment is achieved, the assignments shall

21  be divided in order to maintain an equal enrollment in

22  MediPass and managed care plans which is in a 45 percent and

23  55 percent proportion, respectively. In geographic areas where

24  the agency is contracting for the provision of comprehensive

25  behavioral health services through a capitated prepaid

26  arrangement, recipients who fail to make a choice shall be

27  assigned equally to MediPass or a managed care plan. For

28  purposes of this paragraph, when referring to assignment, the

29  term "managed care plans" includes exclusive provider

30  organizations, provider service networks, Children's Medical

31  Services primary and specialty networks, minority physician

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 1  networks, and pediatric emergency department diversion

 2  programs authorized by this chapter or the General

 3  Appropriations Act. When making assignments, the agency shall

 4  take into account the following criteria:

 5         1.  A managed care plan has sufficient network capacity

 6  to meet the need of members.

 7         2.  The managed care plan or MediPass has previously

 8  enrolled the recipient as a member, or one of the managed care

 9  plan's primary care providers or MediPass providers has

10  previously provided health care to the recipient.

11         3.  The agency has knowledge that the member has

12  previously expressed a preference for a particular managed

13  care plan or MediPass provider as indicated by Medicaid

14  fee-for-service claims data, but has failed to make a choice.

15         4.  The managed care plan's or MediPass primary care

16  providers are geographically accessible to the recipient's

17  residence.

18         5.  The agency has authority to make mandatory

19  assignments based on quality of service and performance of

20  managed care plans.

21         Section 18.  Paragraph (l) is added to subsection (2)

22  of section 409.9122, Florida Statutes, to read:

23         409.9122  Mandatory Medicaid managed care enrollment;

24  programs and procedures.--

25         (2)

26         (l)  Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 287, the

27  agency may, at its discretion, renew cost-effective contracts

28  for choice counseling services once or more for such periods

29  as the agency may decide. However, all such renewals may not

30  combine to exceed a total period longer than the term of the

31  original contract.

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 1         Section 19.  Section 409.913, Florida Statutes, as

 2  amended by section 12 of chapter 2001-377, Laws of Florida, is

 3  amended to read:

 4         409.913  Oversight of the integrity of the Medicaid

 5  program.--The agency shall operate a program to oversee the

 6  activities of Florida Medicaid recipients, and providers and

 7  their representatives, to ensure that fraudulent and abusive

 8  behavior and neglect of recipients occur to the minimum extent

 9  possible, and to recover overpayments and impose sanctions as

10  appropriate. Beginning January 1, 2003, and each year

11  thereafter, the agency and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of

12  the Department of Legal Affairs shall submit a joint report to

13  the Legislature documenting the effectiveness of the state's

14  efforts to control Medicaid fraud and abuse.

15         (1)  For the purposes of this section, the term:

16         (a)  "Abuse" means:

17         1.  Provider practices that are inconsistent with

18  generally accepted business or medical practices and that

19  result in an unnecessary cost to the Medicaid program or in

20  reimbursement for goods or services that are not medically

21  necessary or that fail to meet professionally recognized

22  standards for health care.

23         2.  Recipient practices that result in unnecessary cost

24  to the Medicaid program.

25         (b)  "Complaint" means an allegation that fraud, abuse,

26  or an overpayment has occurred.

27         (c)(b)  "Fraud" means an intentional deception or

28  misrepresentation made by a person with the knowledge that the

29  deception results in unauthorized benefit to herself or

30  himself or another person.  The term includes any act that

31  constitutes fraud under applicable federal or state law.

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 1         (d)(c)  "Medical necessity" or "medically necessary"

 2  means any goods or services necessary to palliate the effects

 3  of a terminal condition, or to prevent, diagnose, correct,

 4  cure, alleviate, or preclude deterioration of a condition that

 5  threatens life, causes pain or suffering, or results in

 6  illness or infirmity, which goods or services are provided in

 7  accordance with generally accepted standards of medical

 8  practice.  For purposes of determining Medicaid reimbursement,

 9  the agency is the final arbiter of medical necessity.

10  Determinations of medical necessity must be made by a licensed

11  physician employed by or under contract with the agency and

12  must be based upon information available at the time the goods

13  or services are provided.

14         (e)(d)  "Overpayment" includes any amount that is not

15  authorized to be paid by the Medicaid program whether paid as

16  a result of inaccurate or improper cost reporting, improper

17  claiming, unacceptable practices, fraud, abuse, or mistake.

18         (f)(e)  "Person" means any natural person, corporation,

19  partnership, association, clinic, group, or other entity,

20  whether or not such person is enrolled in the Medicaid program

21  or is a provider of health care.

22         (2)  The agency shall conduct, or cause to be conducted

23  by contract or otherwise, reviews, investigations, analyses,

24  audits, or any combination thereof, to determine possible

25  fraud, abuse, overpayment, or recipient neglect in the

26  Medicaid program and shall report the findings of any

27  overpayments in audit reports as appropriate.

28         (3)  The agency may conduct, or may contract for,

29  prepayment review of provider claims to ensure cost-effective

30  purchasing, billing, and provision of care to Medicaid

31  recipients.  Such prepayment reviews may be conducted as

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 1  determined appropriate by the agency, without any suspicion or

 2  allegation of fraud, abuse, or neglect.

 3         (4)  Any suspected criminal violation identified by the

 4  agency must be referred to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of

 5  the Office of the Attorney General for investigation. The

 6  agency and the Attorney General shall enter into a memorandum

 7  of understanding, which must include, but need not be limited

 8  to, a protocol for regularly sharing information and

 9  coordinating casework.  The protocol must establish a

10  procedure for the referral by the agency of cases involving

11  suspected Medicaid fraud to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit

12  for investigation, and the return to the agency of those cases

13  where investigation determines that administrative action by

14  the agency is appropriate.

15         (5)  A Medicaid provider is subject to having goods and

16  services that are paid for by the Medicaid program reviewed by

17  an appropriate peer-review organization designated by the

18  agency. The written findings of the applicable peer-review

19  organization are admissible in any court or administrative

20  proceeding as evidence of medical necessity or the lack

21  thereof.

22         (6)  Any notice required to be given to a provider

23  under this section is presumed to be sufficient notice if sent

24  to the address last shown on the provider enrollment file.  It

25  is the responsibility of the provider to furnish and keep the

26  agency informed of the provider's current address. United

27  States Postal Service proof of mailing or certified or

28  registered mailing of such notice to the provider at the

29  address shown on the provider enrollment file constitutes

30  sufficient proof of notice. Any notice required to be given to

31  

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 1  the agency by this section must be sent to the agency at an

 2  address designated by rule.

 3         (7)  When presenting a claim for payment under the

 4  Medicaid program, a provider has an affirmative duty to

 5  supervise the provision of, and be responsible for, goods and

 6  services claimed to have been provided, to supervise and be

 7  responsible for preparation and submission of the claim, and

 8  to present a claim that is true and accurate and that is for

 9  goods and services that:

10         (a)  Have actually been furnished to the recipient by

11  the provider prior to submitting the claim.

12         (b)  Are Medicaid-covered goods or services that are

13  medically necessary.

14         (c)  Are of a quality comparable to those furnished to

15  the general public by the provider's peers.

16         (d)  Have not been billed in whole or in part to a

17  recipient or a recipient's responsible party, except for such

18  copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles as are authorized by

19  the agency.

20         (e)  Are provided in accord with applicable provisions

21  of all Medicaid rules, regulations, handbooks, and policies

22  and in accordance with federal, state, and local law.

23         (f)  Are documented by records made at the time the

24  goods or services were provided, demonstrating the medical

25  necessity for the goods or services rendered. Medicaid goods

26  or services are excessive or not medically necessary unless

27  both the medical basis and the specific need for them are

28  fully and properly documented in the recipient's medical

29  record.

30         (8)  A Medicaid provider shall retain medical,

31  professional, financial, and business records pertaining to

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 1  services and goods furnished to a Medicaid recipient and

 2  billed to Medicaid for a period of 5 years after the date of

 3  furnishing such services or goods. The agency may investigate,

 4  review, or analyze such records, which must be made available

 5  during normal business hours. However, 24-hour notice must be

 6  provided if patient treatment would be disrupted. The provider

 7  is responsible for furnishing to the agency, and keeping the

 8  agency informed of the location of, the provider's

 9  Medicaid-related records.  The authority of the agency to

10  obtain Medicaid-related records from a provider is neither

11  curtailed nor limited during a period of litigation between

12  the agency and the provider.

13         (9)  Payments for the services of billing agents or

14  persons participating in the preparation of a Medicaid claim

15  shall not be based on amounts for which they bill nor based on

16  the amount a provider receives from the Medicaid program.

17         (10)  The agency may require repayment for

18  inappropriate, medically unnecessary, or excessive goods or

19  services from the person furnishing them, the person under

20  whose supervision they were furnished, or the person causing

21  them to be furnished.

22         (11)  The complaint and all information obtained

23  pursuant to an investigation of a Medicaid provider, or the

24  authorized representative or agent of a provider, relating to

25  an allegation of fraud, abuse, or neglect are confidential and

26  exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1):

27         (a)  Until the agency takes final agency action with

28  respect to the provider and requires repayment of any

29  overpayment, or imposes an administrative sanction;

30         (b)  Until the Attorney General refers the case for

31  criminal prosecution;

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 1         (c)  Until 10 days after the complaint is determined

 2  without merit; or

 3         (d)  At all times if the complaint or information is

 4  otherwise protected by law.

 5         (12)  The agency may terminate participation of a

 6  Medicaid provider in the Medicaid program and may seek civil

 7  remedies or impose other administrative sanctions against a

 8  Medicaid provider, if the provider has been:

 9         (a)  Convicted of a criminal offense related to the

10  delivery of any health care goods or services, including the

11  performance of management or administrative functions relating

12  to the delivery of health care goods or services;

13         (b)  Convicted of a criminal offense under federal law

14  or the law of any state relating to the practice of the

15  provider's profession; or

16         (c)  Found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have

17  neglected or physically abused a patient in connection with

18  the delivery of health care goods or services.

19         (13)  If the provider has been suspended or terminated

20  from participation in the Medicaid program or the Medicare

21  program by the Federal Government or any state, the agency

22  must immediately suspend or terminate, as appropriate, the

23  provider's participation in the Florida Medicaid program for a

24  period no less than that imposed by the Federal Government or

25  any other state, and may not enroll such provider in the

26  Florida Medicaid program while such foreign suspension or

27  termination remains in effect.  This sanction is in addition

28  to all other remedies provided by law.

29         (14)  The agency may seek any remedy provided by law,

30  including, but not limited to, the remedies provided in

31  subsections (12) and (15) and s. 812.035, if:

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 1         (a)  The provider's license has not been renewed, or

 2  has been revoked, suspended, or terminated, for cause, by the

 3  licensing agency of any state;

 4         (b)  The provider has failed to make available or has

 5  refused access to Medicaid-related records to an auditor,

 6  investigator, or other authorized employee or agent of the

 7  agency, the Attorney General, a state attorney, or the Federal

 8  Government;

 9         (c)  The provider has not furnished or has failed to

10  make available such Medicaid-related records as the agency has

11  found necessary to determine whether Medicaid payments are or

12  were due and the amounts thereof;

13         (d)  The provider has failed to maintain medical

14  records made at the time of service, or prior to service if

15  prior authorization is required, demonstrating the necessity

16  and appropriateness of the goods or services rendered;

17         (e)  The provider is not in compliance with provisions

18  of Medicaid provider publications that have been adopted by

19  reference as rules in the Florida Administrative Code; with

20  provisions of state or federal laws, rules, or regulations;

21  with provisions of the provider agreement between the agency

22  and the provider; or with certifications found on claim forms

23  or on transmittal forms for electronically submitted claims

24  that are submitted by the provider or authorized

25  representative, as such provisions apply to the Medicaid

26  program;

27         (f)  The provider or person who ordered or prescribed

28  the care, services, or supplies has furnished, or ordered the

29  furnishing of, goods or services to a recipient which are

30  inappropriate, unnecessary, excessive, or harmful to the

31  recipient or are of inferior quality;

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 1         (g)  The provider has demonstrated a pattern of failure

 2  to provide goods or services that are medically necessary;

 3         (h)  The provider or an authorized representative of

 4  the provider, or a person who ordered or prescribed the goods

 5  or services, has submitted or caused to be submitted false or

 6  a pattern of erroneous Medicaid claims that have resulted in

 7  overpayments to a provider or that exceed those to which the

 8  provider was entitled under the Medicaid program;

 9         (i)  The provider or an authorized representative of

10  the provider, or a person who has ordered or prescribed the

11  goods or services, has submitted or caused to be submitted a

12  Medicaid provider enrollment application, a request for prior

13  authorization for Medicaid services, a drug exception request,

14  or a Medicaid cost report that contains materially false or

15  incorrect information;

16         (j)  The provider or an authorized representative of

17  the provider has collected from or billed a recipient or a

18  recipient's responsible party improperly for amounts that

19  should not have been so collected or billed by reason of the

20  provider's billing the Medicaid program for the same service;

21         (k)  The provider or an authorized representative of

22  the provider has included in a cost report costs that are not

23  allowable under a Florida Title XIX reimbursement plan, after

24  the provider or authorized representative had been advised in

25  an audit exit conference or audit report that the costs were

26  not allowable;

27         (l)  The provider is charged by information or

28  indictment with fraudulent billing practices.  The sanction

29  applied for this reason is limited to suspension of the

30  provider's participation in the Medicaid program for the

31  

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 1  duration of the indictment unless the provider is found guilty

 2  pursuant to the information or indictment;

 3         (m)  The provider or a person who has ordered, or

 4  prescribed the goods or services is found liable for negligent

 5  practice resulting in death or injury to the provider's

 6  patient;

 7         (n)  The provider fails to demonstrate that it had

 8  available during a specific audit or review period sufficient

 9  quantities of goods, or sufficient time in the case of

10  services, to support the provider's billings to the Medicaid

11  program;

12         (o)  The provider has failed to comply with the notice

13  and reporting requirements of s. 409.907; or

14         (p)  The agency has received reliable information of

15  patient abuse or neglect or of any act prohibited by s.

16  409.920; or.

17         (q)  The provider has failed to comply with an

18  agreed-upon repayment schedule.

19         (15)  The agency may impose any of the following

20  sanctions or disincentives on a provider or a person for any

21  of the acts described in subsection (14):

22         (a)  Suspension for a specific period of time of not

23  more than 1 year.

24         (b)  Termination for a specific period of time of from

25  more than 1 year to 20 years.

26         (c)  Imposition of a fine of up to $5,000 for each

27  violation.  Each day that an ongoing violation continues, such

28  as refusing to furnish Medicaid-related records or refusing

29  access to records, is considered, for the purposes of this

30  section, to be a separate violation.  Each instance of

31  improper billing of a Medicaid recipient; each instance of

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 1  including an unallowable cost on a hospital or nursing home

 2  Medicaid cost report after the provider or authorized

 3  representative has been advised in an audit exit conference or

 4  previous audit report of the cost unallowability; each

 5  instance of furnishing a Medicaid recipient goods or

 6  professional services that are inappropriate or of inferior

 7  quality as determined by competent peer judgment; each

 8  instance of knowingly submitting a materially false or

 9  erroneous Medicaid provider enrollment application, request

10  for prior authorization for Medicaid services, drug exception

11  request, or cost report; each instance of inappropriate

12  prescribing of drugs for a Medicaid recipient as determined by

13  competent peer judgment; and each false or erroneous Medicaid

14  claim leading to an overpayment to a provider is considered,

15  for the purposes of this section, to be a separate violation.

16         (d)  Immediate suspension, if the agency has received

17  information of patient abuse or neglect or of any act

18  prohibited by s. 409.920. Upon suspension, the agency must

19  issue an immediate final order under s. 120.569(2)(n).

20         (e)  A fine, not to exceed $10,000, for a violation of

21  paragraph (14)(i).

22         (f)  Imposition of liens against provider assets,

23  including, but not limited to, financial assets and real

24  property, not to exceed the amount of fines or recoveries

25  sought, upon entry of an order determining that such moneys

26  are due or recoverable.

27         (g)  Prepayment reviews of claims for a specified

28  period of time.

29         (h)  Followup reviews of providers every 6 months until

30  the agency is satisfied that the deficiencies have been

31  corrected.

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 1         (i)  Corrective action plans that would remain in

 2  effect for providers for up to 3 years and that would be

 3  monitored by the agency every 6 months while in effect.

 4         (j)(g)  Other remedies as permitted by law to effect

 5  the recovery of a fine or overpayment.

 6         (16)  In determining the appropriate administrative

 7  sanction to be applied, or the duration of any suspension or

 8  termination, the agency shall consider:

 9         (a)  The seriousness and extent of the violation or

10  violations.

11         (b)  Any prior history of violations by the provider

12  relating to the delivery of health care programs which

13  resulted in either a criminal conviction or in administrative

14  sanction or penalty.

15         (c)  Evidence of continued violation within the

16  provider's management control of Medicaid statutes, rules,

17  regulations, or policies after written notification to the

18  provider of improper practice or instance of violation.

19         (d)  The effect, if any, on the quality of medical care

20  provided to Medicaid recipients as a result of the acts of the

21  provider.

22         (e)  Any action by a licensing agency respecting the

23  provider in any state in which the provider operates or has

24  operated.

25         (f)  The apparent impact on access by recipients to

26  Medicaid services if the provider is suspended or terminated,

27  in the best judgment of the agency.

28  

29  The agency shall document the basis for all sanctioning

30  actions and recommendations.

31  

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 1         (17)  The agency may take action to sanction, suspend,

 2  or terminate a particular provider working for a group

 3  provider, and may suspend or terminate Medicaid participation

 4  at a specific location, rather than or in addition to taking

 5  action against an entire group.

 6         (18)  The agency shall establish a process for

 7  conducting followup reviews of a sampling of providers who

 8  have a history of overpayment under the Medicaid program.

 9  This process must consider the magnitude of previous fraud or

10  abuse and the potential effect of continued fraud or abuse on

11  Medicaid costs.

12         (19)  In making a determination of overpayment to a

13  provider, the agency must use accepted and valid auditing,

14  accounting, analytical, statistical, or peer-review methods,

15  or combinations thereof. Appropriate statistical methods may

16  include, but are not limited to, sampling and extension to the

17  population, parametric and nonparametric statistics, tests of

18  hypotheses, and other generally accepted statistical methods.

19  Appropriate analytical methods may include, but are not

20  limited to, reviews to determine variances between the

21  quantities of products that a provider had on hand and

22  available to be purveyed to Medicaid recipients during the

23  review period and the quantities of the same products paid for

24  by the Medicaid program for the same period, taking into

25  appropriate consideration sales of the same products to

26  non-Medicaid customers during the same period.  In meeting its

27  burden of proof in any administrative or court proceeding, the

28  agency may introduce the results of such statistical methods

29  as evidence of overpayment.

30         (20)  When making a determination that an overpayment

31  has occurred, the agency shall prepare and issue an audit

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 1  report to the provider showing the calculation of

 2  overpayments.

 3         (21)  The audit report, supported by agency work

 4  papers, showing an overpayment to a provider constitutes

 5  evidence of the overpayment. A provider may not present or

 6  elicit testimony, either on direct examination or

 7  cross-examination in any court or administrative proceeding,

 8  regarding the purchase or acquisition by any means of drugs,

 9  goods, or supplies; sales or divestment by any means of drugs,

10  goods, or supplies; or inventory of drugs, goods, or supplies,

11  unless such acquisition, sales, divestment, or inventory is

12  documented by written invoices, written inventory records, or

13  other competent written documentary evidence maintained in the

14  normal course of the provider's business. Notwithstanding the

15  applicable rules of discovery, all documentation that will be

16  offered as evidence at an administrative hearing on a Medicaid

17  overpayment must be exchanged by all parties at least 14 days

18  before the administrative hearing or must be excluded from

19  consideration.

20         (22)(a)  In an audit or investigation of a violation

21  committed by a provider which is conducted pursuant to this

22  section, the agency is entitled to recover all investigative,

23  legal, and expert witness costs if the agency's findings were

24  not contested by the provider or, if contested, the agency

25  ultimately prevailed.

26         (b)  The agency has the burden of documenting the

27  costs, which include salaries and employee benefits and

28  out-of-pocket expenses. The amount of costs that may be

29  recovered must be reasonable in relation to the seriousness of

30  the violation and must be set taking into consideration the

31  

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 1  financial resources, earning ability, and needs of the

 2  provider, who has the burden of demonstrating such factors.

 3         (c)  The provider may pay the costs over a period to be

 4  determined by the agency if the agency determines that an

 5  extreme hardship would result to the provider from immediate

 6  full payment.  Any default in payment of costs may be

 7  collected by any means authorized by law.

 8         (23)  If the agency imposes an administrative sanction

 9  under this section upon any provider or other person who is

10  regulated by another state entity, the agency shall notify

11  that other entity of the imposition of the sanction.  Such

12  notification must include the provider's or person's name and

13  license number and the specific reasons for sanction.

14         (24)(a)  The agency may withhold Medicaid payments, in

15  whole or in part, to a provider upon receipt of reliable

16  evidence that the circumstances giving rise to the need for a

17  withholding of payments involve fraud, willful

18  misrepresentation, or abuse under the Medicaid program, or a

19  crime committed while rendering goods or services to Medicaid

20  recipients, pending completion of legal proceedings. If it is

21  determined that fraud, willful misrepresentation, abuse, or a

22  crime did not occur, the payments withheld must be paid to the

23  provider within 14 days after such determination with interest

24  at the rate of 10 percent a year. Any money withheld in

25  accordance with this paragraph shall be placed in a suspended

26  account, readily accessible to the agency, so that any payment

27  ultimately due the provider shall be made within 14 days.

28         (b)  Overpayments owed to the agency bear interest at

29  the rate of 10 percent per year from the date of determination

30  of the overpayment by the agency, and payment arrangements

31  must be made at the conclusion of legal proceedings. A

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 1  provider who does not enter into or adhere to an agreed-upon

 2  repayment schedule may be terminated by the agency for

 3  nonpayment or partial payment.

 4         (c)  The agency, upon entry of a final agency order, a

 5  judgment or order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or a

 6  stipulation or settlement, may collect the moneys owed by all

 7  means allowable by law, including, but not limited to,

 8  notifying any fiscal intermediary of Medicare benefits that

 9  the state has a superior right of payment.  Upon receipt of

10  such written notification, the Medicare fiscal intermediary

11  shall remit to the state the sum claimed.

12         (25)  The agency may impose administrative sanctions

13  against a Medicaid recipient, or the agency may seek any other

14  remedy provided by law, including, but not limited to, the

15  remedies provided in s. 812.035, if the agency finds that a

16  recipient has engaged in solicitation in violation of s.

17  409.920 or that the recipient has otherwise abused the

18  Medicaid program.

19         (26)  When the Agency for Health Care Administration

20  has made a probable cause determination and alleged that an

21  overpayment to a Medicaid provider has occurred, the agency,

22  after notice to the provider, may:

23         (a)  Withhold, and continue to withhold during the

24  pendency of an administrative hearing pursuant to chapter 120,

25  any medical assistance reimbursement payments until such time

26  as the overpayment is recovered, unless within 30 days after

27  receiving notice thereof the provider:

28         1.  Makes repayment in full; or

29         2.  Establishes a repayment plan that is satisfactory

30  to the Agency for Health Care Administration.

31  

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 1         (b)  Withhold, and continue to withhold during the

 2  pendency of an administrative hearing pursuant to chapter 120,

 3  medical assistance reimbursement payments if the terms of a

 4  repayment plan are not adhered to by the provider.

 5  

 6  If a provider requests an administrative hearing pursuant to

 7  chapter 120, such hearing must be conducted within 90 days

 8  following receipt by the provider of the final audit report,

 9  absent exceptionally good cause shown as determined by the

10  administrative law judge or hearing officer. Upon issuance of

11  a final order, the balance outstanding of the amount

12  determined to constitute the overpayment shall become due. Any

13  withholding of payments by the Agency for Health Care

14  Administration pursuant to this section shall be limited so

15  that the monthly medical assistance payment is not reduced by

16  more than 10 percent.

17         (27)  Venue for all Medicaid program integrity

18  overpayment cases shall lie in Leon County, at the discretion

19  of the agency.

20         (28)  Notwithstanding other provisions of law, the

21  agency and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Department

22  of Legal Affairs may review a provider's non-Medicaid-related

23  records in order to determine the total output of a provider's

24  practice to reconcile quantities of goods or services billed

25  to Medicaid against quantities of goods or services used in

26  the provider's total practice.

27         (29)  The agency may terminate a provider's

28  participation in the Medicaid program if the provider fails to

29  reimburse an overpayment that has been determined by final

30  order within 35 days after the date of the final order, unless

31  the provider and the agency have entered into a repayment

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 1  agreement. If the final order is overturned on appeal, the

 2  provider shall be reinstated.

 3         (30)  If a provider requests an administrative hearing

 4  pursuant to chapter 120, such hearing must be conducted within

 5  90 days following assignment of an administrative law judge,

 6  absent exceptionally good cause shown as determined by the

 7  administrative law judge or hearing officer.

 8         (31)  Upon issuance of a final order, the outstanding

 9  balance of the amount determined to constitute the overpayment

10  shall become due. If a provider fails to make payments in

11  full, fails to enter into a satisfactory repayment plan, or

12  fails to comply with the terms of a repayment plan or

13  settlement agreement, the agency may withhold all medical

14  assistance reimbursement payments until the amount due is paid

15  in full.

16         (32)  Duly authorized agents and employees of the

17  agency and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Department

18  of Legal Affairs shall have the power to inspect, at all

19  reasonable hours and upon proper notice, the records of any

20  pharmacy, wholesale establishment, or manufacturer, or any

21  other place in the state in which drugs and medical supplies

22  are manufactured, packed, packaged, made, stored, sold, or

23  kept for sale, for the purpose of verifying the amount of

24  drugs and medical supplies ordered, delivered, or purchased by

25  a provider.

26         Section 20.  Subsections (7) and (8) of section

27  409.920, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:

28         409.920  Medicaid provider fraud.--

29         (7)  The Attorney General shall conduct a statewide

30  program of Medicaid fraud control. To accomplish this purpose,

31  the Attorney General shall:

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 1         (a)  Investigate the possible criminal violation of any

 2  applicable state law pertaining to fraud in the administration

 3  of the Medicaid program, in the provision of medical

 4  assistance, or in the activities of providers of health care

 5  under the Medicaid program.

 6         (b)  Investigate the alleged abuse or neglect of

 7  patients in health care facilities receiving payments under

 8  the Medicaid program, in coordination with the agency.

 9         (c)  Investigate the alleged misappropriation of

10  patients' private funds in health care facilities receiving

11  payments under the Medicaid program.

12         (d)  Refer to the Office of Statewide Prosecution or

13  the appropriate state attorney all violations indicating a

14  substantial potential for criminal prosecution.

15         (e)  Refer to the agency all suspected abusive

16  activities not of a criminal or fraudulent nature.

17         (f)  Refer to the agency for collection each instance

18  of overpayment to a provider of health care under the Medicaid

19  program which is discovered during the course of an

20  investigation.

21         (f)(g)  Safeguard the privacy rights of all individuals

22  and provide safeguards to prevent the use of patient medical

23  records for any reason beyond the scope of a specific

24  investigation for fraud or abuse, or both, without the

25  patient's written consent.

26         (g)  Publicize to state employees and the public the

27  ability of persons to bring suit under the provisions of the

28  Florida False Claims Act and the potential for the persons

29  bringing a civil action under the Florida False Claims Act to

30  obtain a monetary award.

31  

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 1         (8)  In carrying out the duties and responsibilities

 2  under this section subsection, the Attorney General may:

 3         (a)  Enter upon the premises of any health care

 4  provider, excluding a physician, participating in the Medicaid

 5  program to examine all accounts and records that may, in any

 6  manner, be relevant in determining the existence of fraud in

 7  the Medicaid program, to investigate alleged abuse or neglect

 8  of patients, or to investigate alleged misappropriation of

 9  patients' private funds. A participating physician is required

10  to make available any accounts or records that may, in any

11  manner, be relevant in determining the existence of fraud in

12  the Medicaid program. The accounts or records of a

13  non-Medicaid patient may not be reviewed by, or turned over

14  to, the Attorney General without the patient's written

15  consent.

16         (b)  Subpoena witnesses or materials, including medical

17  records relating to Medicaid recipients, within or outside the

18  state and, through any duly designated employee, administer

19  oaths and affirmations and collect evidence for possible use

20  in either civil or criminal judicial proceedings.

21         (c)  Request and receive the assistance of any state

22  attorney or law enforcement agency in the investigation and

23  prosecution of any violation of this section.

24         (d)  Seek any civil remedy provided by law, including,

25  but not limited to, the remedies provided in ss.

26  68.081-68.092, s. 812.035, and this chapter.

27         (e)  Refer to the agency for collection each instance

28  of overpayment to a provider of health care under the Medicaid

29  program which is discovered during the course of an

30  investigation.

31  

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 1         Section 21.  Section 624.91, Florida Statutes, is

 2  amended to read:

 3         624.91  The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation Act.--

 4         (1)  SHORT TITLE.--This section may be cited as the

 5  "William G. 'Doc' Myers Healthy Kids Corporation Act."

 6         (2)  LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--

 7         (a)  The Legislature finds that increased access to

 8  health care services could improve children's health and

 9  reduce the incidence and costs of childhood illness and

10  disabilities among children in this state. Many children do

11  not have comprehensive, affordable health care services

12  available.  It is the intent of the Legislature that the

13  Florida Healthy Kids Corporation provide comprehensive health

14  insurance coverage to such children. The corporation is

15  encouraged to cooperate with any existing health service

16  programs funded by the public or the private sector and to

17  work cooperatively with the Florida Partnership for School

18  Readiness.

19         (b)  It is the intent of the Legislature that the

20  Florida Healthy Kids Corporation serve as one of several

21  providers of services to children eligible for medical

22  assistance under Title XXI of the Social Security Act.

23  Although the corporation may serve other children, the

24  Legislature intends the primary recipients of services

25  provided through the corporation be school-age children with a

26  family income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level,

27  who do not qualify for Medicaid.  It is also the intent of the

28  Legislature that state and local government Florida Healthy

29  Kids funds, to the extent permissible under federal law, be

30  used to continue and expand coverage, within available

31  

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 1  appropriations, to children not eligible for federal matching

 2  funds under Title XXI obtain matching federal dollars.

 3         (3)  NONENTITLEMENT.--Nothing in this section shall be

 4  construed as providing an individual with an entitlement to

 5  health care services.  No cause of action shall arise against

 6  the state, the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, or a unit of

 7  local government for failure to make health services available

 8  under this section.

 9         (4)  CORPORATION AUTHORIZATION, DUTIES, POWERS.--

10         (a)  There is created the Florida Healthy Kids

11  Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation which operates on

12  sites designated by the corporation.

13         (b)  The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation shall phase

14  in a program to:

15         1.  Organize school children groups to facilitate the

16  provision of comprehensive health insurance coverage to

17  children;

18         2.  Arrange for the collection of any family, local

19  contributions, or employer payment or premium, in an amount to

20  be determined by the board of directors, to provide for

21  payment of premiums for comprehensive insurance coverage and

22  for the actual or estimated administrative expenses;

23         3.  Arrange for the collection of any contributions to

24  provide for payment of premiums for children who are not

25  eligible for medical assistance under Title XXI of the Social

26  Security Act. Each fiscal year, the corporation shall

27  establish a local match policy for the enrollment of

28  non-Title-XXI-eligible children in the Healthy Kids program.

29  By May 1 of each year, the corporation shall provide written

30  notification of the amount to be remitted to the corporation

31  for the following fiscal year under that policy. Local match

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 1  sources may include, but are not limited to, funds provided by

 2  municipalities, counties, school boards, hospitals, health

 3  care providers, charitable organizations, special taxing

 4  districts, and private organizations. The minimum local match

 5  cash contributions required each fiscal year and local match

 6  credits shall be determined by the General Appropriations Act.

 7  The corporation shall calculate a county's local match rate

 8  based upon that county's percentage of the state's total

 9  non-Title-XXI expenditures as reported in the corporation's

10  most recently audited financial statement. In awarding the

11  local match credits, the corporation may consider factors,

12  including, but not limited to, population density, per capita

13  income, existing child-health-related expenditures, and

14  services in awarding the credits;

15         4.  Accept supplemental local match contributions that

16  comply with the requirements of Title XXI of the Social

17  Security Act for the purpose of providing additional coverage

18  in contributing counties under Title XXI;

19         5.3.  Establish the administrative and accounting

20  procedures for the operation of the corporation;

21         6.4.  Establish, with consultation from appropriate

22  professional organizations, standards for preventive health

23  services and providers and comprehensive insurance benefits

24  appropriate to children; provided that such standards for

25  rural areas shall not limit primary care providers to

26  board-certified pediatricians;

27         7.5.  Establish eligibility criteria which children

28  must meet in order to participate in the program;

29         8.6.  Establish procedures under which providers of

30  local match to, applicants to, and participants in the program

31  

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 1  may have grievances reviewed by an impartial body and reported

 2  to the board of directors of the corporation;

 3         9.7.  Establish participation criteria and, if

 4  appropriate, contract with an authorized insurer, health

 5  maintenance organization, or insurance administrator to

 6  provide administrative services to the corporation;

 7         10.8.  Establish enrollment criteria which shall

 8  include penalties or waiting periods of not fewer than 60 days

 9  for reinstatement of coverage upon voluntary cancellation for

10  nonpayment of family premiums;

11         11.9.  If a space is available, establish a special

12  open enrollment period of 30 days' duration for any child who

13  is enrolled in Medicaid or Medikids if such child loses

14  Medicaid or Medikids eligibility and becomes eligible for the

15  Florida Healthy Kids program;

16         12.10.  Contract with authorized insurers or any

17  provider of health care services, meeting standards

18  established by the corporation, for the provision of

19  comprehensive insurance coverage to participants.  Such

20  standards shall include criteria under which the corporation

21  may contract with more than one provider of health care

22  services in program sites. Health plans shall be selected

23  through a competitive bid process. The selection of health

24  plans shall be based primarily on quality criteria established

25  by the board. The health plan selection criteria and scoring

26  system, and the scoring results, shall be available upon

27  request for inspection after the bids have been awarded;

28         13.11.  Develop and implement a plan to publicize the

29  Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, the eligibility requirements

30  of the program, and the procedures for enrollment in the

31  

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 1  program and to maintain public awareness of the corporation

 2  and the program;

 3         14.12.  Secure staff necessary to properly administer

 4  the corporation. Staff costs shall be funded from state and

 5  local matching funds and such other private or public funds as

 6  become available. The board of directors shall determine the

 7  number of staff members necessary to administer the

 8  corporation;

 9         15.13.  As appropriate, enter into contracts with local

10  school boards or other agencies to provide onsite information,

11  enrollment, and other services necessary to the operation of

12  the corporation;

13         16.14.  Provide a report on an annual basis to the

14  Governor, Insurance Commissioner, Commissioner of Education,

15  Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and

16  Minority Leaders of the Senate and the House of

17  Representatives;

18         17.15.  Each fiscal year, establish a maximum number of

19  participants by county, on a statewide basis, who may enroll

20  in the program without the benefit of local matching funds.

21  Thereafter, the corporation may establish local matching

22  requirements for supplemental participation in the program.

23  The corporation may vary local matching requirements and

24  enrollment by county depending on factors which may influence

25  the generation of local match, including, but not limited to,

26  population density, per capita income, existing local tax

27  effort, and other factors. The corporation also may accept

28  in-kind match in lieu of cash for the local match requirement

29  to the extent allowed by Title XXI of the Social Security Act;

30  and

31  

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 1         18.16.  Establish eligibility criteria, premium and

 2  cost-sharing requirements, and benefit packages which conform

 3  to the provisions of the Florida Kidcare program, as created

 4  in ss. 409.810-409.820.

 5         (c)  Coverage under the corporation's program is

 6  secondary to any other available private coverage held by the

 7  participant child or family member. The corporation may

 8  establish procedures for coordinating benefits under this

 9  program with benefits under other public and private coverage.

10         (d)  The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation shall be a

11  private corporation not for profit, organized pursuant to

12  chapter 617, and shall have all powers necessary to carry out

13  the purposes of this act, including, but not limited to, the

14  power to receive and accept grants, loans, or advances of

15  funds from any public or private agency and to receive and

16  accept from any source contributions of money, property,

17  labor, or any other thing of value, to be held, used, and

18  applied for the purposes of this act.

19         (5)  BOARD OF DIRECTORS.--

20         (a)  The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation shall operate

21  subject to the supervision and approval of a board of

22  directors chaired by the Insurance Commissioner or her or his

23  designee, and composed of 14 12 other members selected for

24  3-year terms of office as follows:

25         1.  One member appointed by the Commissioner of

26  Education from among three persons nominated by the Florida

27  Association of School Administrators;

28         2.  One member appointed by the Commissioner of

29  Education from among three persons nominated by the Florida

30  Association of School Boards;

31  

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 1         3.  One member appointed by the Commissioner of

 2  Education from the Office of School Health Programs of the

 3  Florida Department of Education;

 4         4.  One member appointed by the Governor from among

 5  three members nominated by the Florida Pediatric Society;

 6         5.  One member, appointed by the Governor, who

 7  represents the Children's Medical Services Program;

 8         6.  One member appointed by the Insurance Commissioner

 9  from among three members nominated by the Florida Hospital

10  Association;

11         7.  Two members, appointed by the Insurance

12  Commissioner, who are representatives of authorized health

13  care insurers or health maintenance organizations;

14         8.  One member, appointed by the Insurance

15  Commissioner, who represents the Institute for Child Health

16  Policy;

17         9.  One member, appointed by the Governor, from among

18  three members nominated by the Florida Academy of Family

19  Physicians;

20         10.  One member, appointed by the Governor, who

21  represents the Agency for Health Care Administration; and

22         11.  The State Health Officer or her or his designee;

23         12.  One member, appointed by the Insurance

24  Commissioner from among three members nominated by the Florida

25  Association of Counties, representing rural counties; and

26         13.  One member, appointed by the Governor from among

27  three members nominated by the Florida Association of

28  Counties, representing urban counties.

29         (b)  A member of the board of directors may be removed

30  by the official who appointed that member.  The board shall

31  

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 1  appoint an executive director, who is responsible for other

 2  staff authorized by the board.

 3         (c)  Board members are entitled to receive, from funds

 4  of the corporation, reimbursement for per diem and travel

 5  expenses as provided by s. 112.061.

 6         (d)  There shall be no liability on the part of, and no

 7  cause of action shall arise against, any member of the board

 8  of directors, or its employees or agents, for any action they

 9  take in the performance of their powers and duties under this

10  act.

11         (6)  LICENSING NOT REQUIRED; FISCAL OPERATION.--

12         (a)  The corporation shall not be deemed an insurer.

13  The officers, directors, and employees of the corporation

14  shall not be deemed to be agents of an insurer. Neither the

15  corporation nor any officer, director, or employee of the

16  corporation is subject to the licensing requirements of the

17  insurance code or the rules of the Department of Insurance.

18  However, any marketing representative utilized and compensated

19  by the corporation must be appointed as a representative of

20  the insurers or health services providers with which the

21  corporation contracts.

22         (b)  The board has complete fiscal control over the

23  corporation and is responsible for all corporate operations.

24         (c)  The Department of Insurance shall supervise any

25  liquidation or dissolution of the corporation and shall have,

26  with respect to such liquidation or dissolution, all power

27  granted to it pursuant to the insurance code.

28         (7)  ACCESS TO RECORDS; CONFIDENTIALITY;

29  PENALTIES.--Notwithstanding any other laws to the contrary,

30  the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation shall have access to the

31  medical records of a student upon receipt of permission from a

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 1  parent or guardian of the student.  Such medical records may

 2  be maintained by state and local agencies.  Any identifying

 3  information, including medical records and family financial

 4  information, obtained by the corporation pursuant to this

 5  subsection is confidential and is exempt from the provisions

 6  of s. 119.07(1).  Neither the corporation nor the staff or

 7  agents of the corporation may release, without the written

 8  consent of the participant or the parent or guardian of the

 9  participant, to any state or federal agency, to any private

10  business or person, or to any other entity, any confidential

11  information received pursuant to this subsection.  A violation

12  of this subsection is a misdemeanor of the second degree,

13  punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

14         (8)  NOTICE OF FAILURE TO MEET LOCAL MATCH.--The

15  corporation shall notify the Senate President, the Speaker of

16  the House of Representatives, the Governor, and the Department

17  of Banking and Finance of any county not meeting its local

18  match requirement.

19         Section 22.  Subsection (2) of section 383.19, Florida

20  Statutes, is amended to read:

21         383.19  Standards; funding; ineligibility.--

22         (2)  The department shall designate at least one center

23  to serve a geographic area representing each region of the

24  state in which at least 10,000 live births occur per year, but

25  in no case may there be more than 12 11 regional perinatal

26  intensive care centers established unless specifically

27  authorized in the appropriations act or in this subsection.

28  Medicaid reimbursement shall be made for services provided to

29  patients who are Medicaid recipients. Medicaid reimbursement

30  for in-center obstetrical physician services shall be based

31  upon the obstetrical care group payment system. Medicaid

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 1  reimbursement for in-center neonatal physician services shall

 2  be based upon the neonatal care group payment system. These

 3  prospective payment systems, developed by the department, must

 4  place patients into homogeneous groups based on clinical

 5  factors, severity of illness, and intensity of care.

 6  Outpatient obstetrical services and other related services,

 7  such as consultations, shall be reimbursed based on the usual

 8  Medicaid method of payment for outpatient medical services.

 9         Section 23.  Subsection (28) of section 393.063,

10  Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

11         393.063  Definitions.--For the purposes of this

12  chapter:

13         (28)  "Intermediate care facility for the

14  developmentally disabled" or "ICF/DD" means a

15  state-owned-and-operated residential facility licensed and

16  certified in accordance with state law, and certified by the

17  Federal Government pursuant to the Social Security Act, as a

18  provider of Medicaid services to persons who are

19  developmentally disabled mentally retarded or who have related

20  conditions. The capacity of such a facility shall not be more

21  than 120 clients.

22         Section 24.  Section 400.965, Florida Statutes, is

23  amended to read:

24         400.965  Action by agency against licensee; grounds.--

25         (1)  Any of the following conditions constitute grounds

26  for action by the agency against a licensee:

27         (a)  A misrepresentation of a material fact in the

28  application;

29         (b)  The commission of an intentional or negligent act

30  materially affecting the health or safety of residents of the

31  facility;

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 1         (c)  A violation of any provision of this part or rules

 2  adopted under this part; or

 3         (d)  The commission of any act constituting a ground

 4  upon which application for a license may be denied.

 5         (2)  If the agency has a reasonable belief that any of

 6  such conditions exists, it shall:

 7         (a)  In the case of an applicant for original

 8  licensure, deny the application.

 9         (b)  In the case of an applicant for relicensure or a

10  current licensee, take administrative action as provided in s.

11  400.968 or s. 400.969 or injunctive action as authorized by s.

12  400.963.

13         (c)  In the case of a facility operating without a

14  license, take injunctive action as authorized in s. 400.963.

15         Section 25.  Subsection (4) of section 400.968, Florida

16  Statutes, is renumbered as section 400.969, Florida Statutes,

17  and amended to read:

18         400.969  Violation of part; penalties.--

19         (1)(4)(a)  Except as provided in s. 400.967(3), a

20  violation of any provision of this part section or rules

21  adopted by the agency under this part section is punishable by

22  payment of an administrative or civil penalty not to exceed

23  $5,000.

24         (2)(b)  A violation of this part section or of rules

25  adopted under this part section is a misdemeanor of the first

26  degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

27  Each day of a continuing violation is a separate offense.

28         Section 26.  The Legislature finds that the home and

29  community-based services delivery system for persons with

30  developmental disabilities and the availability of

31  appropriated funds are two of the critical elements in making

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 1  services available.  Therefore, it is the intent of the

 2  Legislature that the Department of Children and Family

 3  Services shall develop and implement a comprehensive redesign

 4  of the system.  The redesign shall include, at a minimum, all

 5  actions necessary to achieve an appropriate rate structure,

 6  client choice within a specified service package, appropriate

 7  assessment strategies, an efficient billing process that

 8  contains reconciliation and monitoring components, a redefined

 9  role for support coordinators that avoids potential conflicts

10  of interest, and family/client budgets linked to levels of

11  need.  Prior to the release of funds in the lump-sum

12  appropriation, the department shall present a plan to the

13  Executive Office of the Governor, the House Fiscal

14  Responsibility Council, and the Senate Appropriations

15  Committee.  The plan must result in a full implementation of

16  the redesigned system no later than July 1, 2003.  At a

17  minimum, the plan must provide that the portions related to

18  direct provider enrollment and billing will be operational no

19  later than March 31, 2003.  The plan must further provide that

20  a more effective needs assessment instrument will be deployed

21  by January 1, 2003, and that all clients will be assessed with

22  this device by June 30, 2003.  In no event may the department

23  select an assessment instrument without appropriate evidence

24  that it will be reliable and valid.  Once such evidence has

25  been obtained, however, the department shall determine the

26  feasibility of contracting with an external vendor to apply

27  the new assessment device to all clients receiving services

28  through the Medicaid waiver.  In lieu of using an external

29  vendor, the department may use support coordinators for the

30  assessments if it develops sufficient safeguards and training

31  

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 1  to significantly improve the inter-rater reliability of the

 2  support coordinators administering the assessment.

 3         Section 27.  (1)  The Agency for Health Care

 4  Administration shall conduct a study of health care services

 5  provided to children in the state who are medically fragile or

 6  dependent on medical technology and conduct a pilot program in

 7  Miami-Dade County to provide subacute pediatric transitional

 8  care to a maximum of 30 children at any one time. The purposes

 9  of the study and the pilot program are to determine ways to

10  permit children who are medically fragile or dependent on

11  medical technology to successfully make a transition from

12  acute care in a health care institution to living with their

13  families when possible, and to provide cost-effective,

14  subacute transitional care services.

15         (2)  The agency, in cooperation with the Children's

16  Medical Services Program in the Department of Health, shall

17  conduct a study to identify the total number of children who

18  are medically fragile or dependent on medical technology, from

19  birth through age 21, in the state. By January 1, 2003, the

20  agency must report to the Legislature regarding the children's

21  ages, the locations where the children are served, the types

22  of services received, itemized costs of the services, and the

23  sources of funding that pay for the services, including the

24  proportional share when more than one funding source pays for

25  a service. The study must include information regarding

26  children who are medically fragile or dependent on medical

27  technology who reside in hospitals, nursing homes, and medical

28  foster care, and those who reside with their parents. The

29  study must describe children served in prescribed pediatric

30  extended care centers, including their ages and the services

31  they receive. The report must identify the total services

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 1  provided for each child and the method for paying for those

 2  services. The report must also identify the number of such

 3  children who could, if appropriate transitional services were

 4  available, return home or move to a less institutional

 5  setting.

 6         (3)  Within 30 days after the effective date of this

 7  act, the agency shall establish minimum staffing standards and

 8  quality requirements for a subacute pediatric transitional

 9  care center to be operated as a 2-year pilot program in

10  Miami-Dade County. The pilot program must operate under the

11  license of a hospital licensed under chapter 395, Florida

12  Statutes, or a nursing home licensed under chapter 400,

13  Florida Statutes, and shall use existing beds in the hospital

14  or nursing home. A child's placement in the subacute pediatric

15  transitional care center may not exceed 90 days. The center

16  shall arrange for an alternative placement at the end of a

17  child's stay and a transitional plan for children expected to

18  remain in the facility for the maximum allowed stay.

19         (4)  Within 60 days after the effective date of this

20  act, the agency must amend the state Medicaid plan or request

21  any federal waivers necessary to implement and fund the pilot

22  program.

23         (5)  The subacute pediatric transitional care center

24  must require level 1 background screening as provided in

25  chapter 435, Florida Statutes, for all employees or

26  prospective employees of the center who are expected to, or

27  whose responsibilities may require them to, provide personal

28  care or services to children, have access to children's living

29  areas, or have access to children's funds or personal

30  property.

31  

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 1         (6)  The subacute pediatric transitional care center

 2  must have an advisory board. Membership on the advisory board

 3  must include, but need not be limited to:

 4         (a)  A physician and an advanced registered nurse

 5  practitioner who is familiar with services for children who

 6  are medically fragile or dependent on medical technology.

 7         (b)  A registered nurse who has experience in the care

 8  of children who are medically fragile or dependent on medical

 9  technology.

10         (c)  A child development specialist who has experience

11  in the care of children who are medically fragile or dependent

12  on medical technology, and their families.

13         (d)  A social worker who has experience in the care of

14  children who are medically fragile or dependent on medical

15  technology, and their families.

16         (e)  A consumer representative who is a parent or

17  guardian of a child placed in the center.

18         (7)  The advisory board shall:

19         (a)  Review the policy and procedure components of the

20  center to ensure conformance with applicable standards

21  developed by the agency; and

22         (b)  Provide consultation with respect to the

23  operational and programmatic components of the center.

24         (8)  The subacute pediatric transitional care center

25  must have written policies and procedures governing the

26  admission, transfer, and discharge of children.

27         (9)  The admission of each child to the center must be

28  under the supervision of the center nursing administrator or

29  his or her designee and must be in accordance with the

30  center's policies and procedures. Each Medicaid admission must

31  be approved as appropriate for placement in the facility by

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 1  the Children's Medical Services Multidisciplinary Assessment

 2  Team of the Department of Health, in conjunction with the

 3  agency.

 4         (10)  Each child admitted to the center shall be

 5  admitted upon prescription of the medical director of the

 6  center, licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459,

 7  Florida Statutes, and the child shall remain under the care of

 8  the medical director and the advanced registered nurse

 9  practitioner for the duration of his or her stay in the

10  center.

11         (11)  Each child admitted to the center must meet at

12  least the following criteria:

13         (a)  The child must be medically fragile or dependent

14  on medical technology.

15         (b)  The child may not, prior to admission, present

16  significant risk of infection to other children or personnel.

17  The medical and nursing directors shall review, on a

18  case-by-case basis, the condition of any child who is

19  suspected of having an infectious disease to determine whether

20  admission is appropriate.

21         (c)  The child must be medically stabilized and require

22  skilled nursing care or other interventions.

23         (12)  If the child meets the criteria specified in

24  paragraphs (11)(a), (b), and (c), the medical director or

25  nursing director of the center shall implement a preadmission

26  plan that delineates services to be provided and appropriate

27  sources for such services.

28         (a)  If the child is hospitalized at the time of

29  referral, preadmission planning must include the participation

30  of the child's parent or guardian and relevant medical,

31  nursing, social services, and developmental staff to ensure

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 1  that the hospital's discharge plans will be implemented

 2  following the child's placement in the center.

 3         (b)  A consent form outlining the purpose of the

 4  center, family responsibilities, authorized treatment,

 5  appropriate release of liability, and emergency disposition

 6  plans must be signed by the parent or guardian and witnessed

 7  before the child is admitted to the center. The parent or

 8  guardian shall be provided a copy of the consent form.

 9         (13)  By January 1, 2003, the agency shall report to

10  the Legislature concerning the progress of the pilot program.

11  By January 1, 2004, the agency shall submit to the Legislature

12  a report on the success of the pilot program.

13         (14)  This section is subject to the availability of

14  funds and subject to any limitations or directions provided

15  for in the General Appropriations Act or chapter 216, Florida

16  Statutes.

17         Section 28.  By January 1, 2003, the Agency for Health

18  Care Administration shall make recommendations to the

19  Legislature as to limits in the amount of home office

20  management and administrative fees which should be allowable

21  for reimbursement for Medicaid providers whose rates are set

22  on a cost-reimbursement basis.

23         Section 29.  (1)  Notwithstanding s. 409.911(3),

24  Florida Statutes, for the state fiscal year 2002-2003 only,

25  the agency shall distribute moneys under the regular

26  disproportionate share program only to hospitals that meet the

27  federal minimum requirements and to public hospitals. Public

28  hospitals are defined as those hospitals identified as

29  government owned or operated in the Financial Hospital Uniform

30  Reporting System (FHURS) data available to the agency as of

31  January 1, 2002. The following methodology shall be used to

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 1  distribute disproportionate share dollars to hospitals that

 2  meet the federal minimum requirements and to the public

 3  hospitals:

 4         (a)  For hospitals that meet the federal minimum

 5  requirements, the following formula shall be used:

 6  

 7         TAA = TA  *  (1/5.5)

 8         DSHP = (HMD/TMSD)*TA

 9  

10         TAA = total amount available.

11         TA = total appropriation.

12         DSHP = disproportionate share hospital payment.

13         HMD = hospital Medicaid days.

14         TSD = total state Medicaid days.

15  

16         (b)  The following formulas shall be used to pay

17  disproportionate share dollars to public hospitals:

18         1.  For state mental health hospitals:

19  

20         DSHP = (HMD/TMD) * TAAMH

21  

22         The total amount available for the state mental

23         health hospitals shall be the difference

24         between the federal cap for Institutions for

25         Mental Diseases and the amounts paid under the

26         mental health disproportionate share program.

27         2.  For non-state government owned or operated

28  hospitals with 3,200 or more Medicaid days:

29  

30         DSHP = [(.85*HCCD/TCCD) + (.15*HMD/TMD)] *

31         TAAPH

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 1         TAAPH = TAA - TAAMH

 2  

 3         3.  For non-state government owned or operated

 4  hospitals with less than 3,200 Medicaid days, a total of

 5  $400,000 shall be distributed equally among these hospitals.

 6  

 7  Where:

 8  

 9         TAA = total available appropriation.

10         TAAPH = total amount available for public

11         hospitals.

12         TAAMH = total amount available for mental

13         health hospitals.

14         DSHP = disproportionate share hospital

15         payments.

16         HMD = hospital Medicaid days.

17         TMD = total state Medicaid days for public

18         hospitals.

19         HCCD = hospital charity care dollars.

20         TCCD = total state charity care dollars for

21         public hospitals.

22  

23  In computing the above amounts for public hospitals and

24  hospitals that qualify under the federal minimum requirements,

25  the agency shall use the 1997 audited data. In the event there

26  is no 1997 audited data for a hospital, the agency shall use

27  the 1994 audited data.

28         (2)  Notwithstanding s. 409.9112, Florida Statutes, for

29  state fiscal year 2002-2003, only disproportionate share

30  payments to regional perinatal intensive care centers shall be

31  distributed in the same proportion as the disproportionate

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 1  share payments made to the regional perinatal intensive care

 2  centers in the state fiscal year 2001-2002.

 3         (3)  Notwithstanding s. 409.9117, Florida Statutes, for

 4  state fiscal year 2002-2003 only, disproportionate share

 5  payments to hospitals that qualify for primary care

 6  disproportionate share payments shall be distributed in the

 7  same proportion as the primary care disproportionate share

 8  payments made to those hospitals in the state fiscal year

 9  2001-2002.

10         (4)  In the event the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid

11  Services does not approve Florida's inpatient hospital state

12  plan amendment for the public disproportionate share program

13  by November 1, 2002, the agency may make payments to hospitals

14  under the regular disproportionate share program, regional

15  perinatal intensive care centers disproportionate share

16  program, and the primary care disproportionate share program

17  using the same methodologies used in state fiscal year

18  2001-2002.

19         (5)  For state fiscal year 2002-2003 only, no

20  disproportionate share payments shall be made to hospitals

21  under the provisions of s. 409.9119, Florida Statutes.

22         (6)  This section is repealed on July 1, 2003.

23         Section 30.  The Office of Program Policy Analysis and

24  Government Accountability, assisted by the Agency for Health

25  Care Administration, and the Florida Association of Counties,

26  shall perform a study to determine the fair share of the

27  counties' contribution to Medicaid nursing home costs. The

28  Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government

29  Accountability shall submit a report on the study to the

30  President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of

31  Representatives by January 1, 2003. The report shall set out

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 1  no less than two options and shall make a recommendation as to

 2  what would be a fair share of the costs for the counties'

 3  contribution for fiscal year 2003-2004. The report shall also

 4  set out options and make a recommendation to be considered to

 5  ensure that the counties pay their fair share in subsequent

 6  years. No recommendation shall be less than the counties'

 7  current share of 1.5 percent. Each option shall include a

 8  detailed explanation of the analysis that led to the

 9  conclusion.

10         Section 31.  Effective July 1, 2002, section 1 of

11  chapter 2001-377, Laws of Florida, which repealed subsection

12  (11) of section 409.904, Florida Statutes, is repealed.

13         Section 32.  If any provision of this act or its

14  application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the

15  invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications

16  of the act which can be given effect without the invalid

17  provision or application, and to this end the provisions of

18  this act are declared severable.

19         Section 33.  If any law amended by this act was also

20  amended by a law enacted during the 2002 Regular Session of

21  the Legislature, such laws shall be construed to have been

22  enacted during the same session of the Legislature and full

23  effect shall be given to each if possible.

24         Section 34.  Except as otherwise provided herein, this

25  act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

26  

27            *****************************************

28                          HOUSE SUMMARY

29  
      Revises various provisions relating to operation of the
30    Florida Medicaid program and to powers and duties of the
      Agency for Health Care Administration and the Department
31    of Children and Family Services. See bill for details.

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