Senate Bill sb1756
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2004 SB 1756
By Senator Dawson
29-1503-04 See HB 69
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the Florida Uninsured Health
3 Care Task Force; providing a legislative
4 finding; creating the Florida Uninsured Health
5 Care Task Force; providing for membership;
6 providing purposes and duties; providing for
7 staffing the task force; requiring a report;
8 providing for termination; providing an
9 effective date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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13 Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that many of our
14 state's hospitals are incurring millions of dollars in costs
15 for treating uninsured persons.
16 (2)(a) The Florida Uninsured Health Care Task Force is
17 established for the purpose of investigating how to reduce the
18 cost of treating uninsured persons.
19 (b) The task force shall be comprised of one
20 representative each from:
21 1. The Florida Medical Association, appointed by the
22 board of governors of the association.
23 2. The Florida Dental Association, appointed by the
24 board of trustees of the association.
25 3. The Florida College of Emergency Physicians,
26 appointed by the board of directors of the college.
27 4. The Florida Academy of Family Practitioners,
28 appointed by the governing authority of the academy.
29 5. The Central Florida Partnership on Health
30 Disparities, appointed by the governing authority of the
31 partnership.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2004 SB 1756
29-1503-04 See HB 69
1 6. The Department of Health, appointed by the
2 Secretary of Health.
3 7. The Agency for Health Care Administration,
4 appointed by the Secretary of Health Care Administration.
5 8. The Florida Association of Community Health
6 Centers, appointed by the board of directors of the
7 association.
8 9. The Florida Chamber of Commerce, appointed by the
9 board of directors of the chamber.
10 10. The Florida Hospital Association, appointed by the
11 board of trustees of the association.
12 11. The Teaching Hospitals Council, appointed by the
13 governing authority of the council.
14 12. A public hospital more than 25 percent of the
15 health care services of which are provided to persons who are
16 subjects of charity, appointed by the governing authority of
17 the hospital. The hospital shall be designated by the board of
18 trustees of the Florida Hospital Association.
19 (c)1. The task force shall:
20 a. Study the gaps in access to health care between the
21 uninsured and those with health insurance.
22 b. Identify inexpensive insurance packages for the
23 uninsured which are advertised on television, radio, printed
24 media, and the Internet.
25 c. Study who the uninsured are among the working poor,
26 small business owners, Medicaid recipients, migrant workers,
27 illegal immigrants, and underinsured persons who spend more
28 than 10 percent of their annual income on health care.
29 d. Study how providers serve the uninsured, including,
30 but not limited to, how and where the uninsured receive health
31 care and why they receive health care from certain places.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2004 SB 1756
29-1503-04 See HB 69
1 e. Research available federal funding that might
2 provide assistance, including, but not limited to, the
3 community health clinics grant.
4 f. Identify funding alternatives that provide the
5 greatest access to federal matching money.
6 g. Develop a cost-effective model for treating the
7 uninsured and reducing costs in hospitals and other facilities
8 or groups in this state that provide health care services to
9 the uninsured.
10 2. The task force shall develop innovative solutions
11 for treating the uninsured, reducing the caseloads in the
12 emergency rooms of our hospitals, and streamlining the
13 resources, treatment centers, community health centers, county
14 health clinics, and other health care facilities that treat
15 uninsured persons.
16 (3) The task force shall select a chair and shall meet
17 at the call of the chair but at least once each month.
18 Membership on the task force shall be voluntary and a vacancy
19 shall be filled in the same manner as the original
20 appointment. Members shall serve without compensation.
21 (4) The Department of Health and the Agency for Health
22 Care Administration shall jointly provide staff to assist the
23 task force in fulfilling its responsibilities.
24 (5) The task force shall develop solutions, make
25 recommendations, and report to the President of the Senate and
26 the Speaker of the House of Representatives at the beginning
27 of the 2005 Regular Session. The task force shall cease to
28 exist May 6, 2005.
29 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
30 law.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.