HB 0069 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Florida Uninsured Health Care Task
3	Force; providing a legislative finding; creating the
4	Florida Uninsured Health Care Task Force; providing for
5	membership; providing purposes and duties; providing for
6	staffing the task force; requiring a report; providing for
7	termination; providing an effective date.
8
9	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11	Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that many of our
12	state's hospitals are incurring millions of dollars in costs for
13	treating uninsured persons.
14	(2)(a) The Florida Uninsured Health Care Task Force is
15	established for the purpose of investigating how to reduce the
16	cost of treating uninsured persons.
17	(b) The task force shall be comprised of one
18	representative each from:
19	1. The Florida Medical Association, appointed by the board
20	of governors of the association.
21	2. The Florida Dental Association, appointed by the board
22	of trustees of the association.
23	3. The Florida College of Emergency Physicians, appointed
24	by the board of directors of the college.
25	4. The Florida Academy of Family Practitioners, appointed
26	by the governing authority of the academy.
27	5. The Central Florida Partnership on Health Disparities,
28	appointed by the governing authority of the partnership.
29	6. The Department of Health, appointed by Secretary of
30	Health.
31	7. The Agency for Health Care Administration, appointed by
32	the Secretary of Health Care Administration.
33	8. The Florida Association of Community Health Centers,
34	appointed by the board of directors of the association.
35	9. The Florida Chamber of Commerce, appointed by the board
36	of directors of the chamber.
37	10. The Florida Hospital Association, appointed by the
38	board of trustees of the association.
39	11. The Teaching Hospitals Council, appointed by the
40	governing authority of the council.
41	12. A public hospital more than 25 percent of the health
42	care services of which are provided to persons who are subjects
43	of charity, appointed by the governing authority of the
44	hospital. The hospital shall be designated by the board of
45	trustees of the Florida Hospital Association.
46	(c)1. The task force shall:
47	a. Study the gaps in access to health care between the
48	uninsured and those with health insurance.
49	b. Identify inexpensive insurance packages for the
50	uninsured that are advertised on television, radio, printed
51	media, and the Internet.
52	c. Study who the uninsured are among the working poor,
53	small business owners, Medicaid recipients, migrant workers,
54	illegal immigrants, and underinsured persons who spend more than
55	10 percent of their annual income on health care.
56	d. Study how providers serve the uninsured, including, but
57	not limited to, how and where the uninsured receive health care
58	and why they receive health care from certain places.
59	e. Research available federal funding that might provide
60	assistance, including, but not limited to, the community health
61	clinics grant.
62	f. Identify funding alternatives which provide the
63	greatest access to federal matching money.
64	g. Develop a cost-effective model for treating the
65	uninsured and reducing costs in hospitals and other facilities
66	or groups in this state that provide health care services to the
67	uninsured.
68	2. The task force shall develop innovative solutions for
69	treating the uninsured, reducing the caseloads in the emergency
70	rooms of our hospitals, and streamlining the resources,
71	treatment centers, community health centers, county health
72	clinics, and other health care facilities that treat uninsured
73	persons.
74	(3) The task force shall select a chair and shall meet at
75	the call of the chair but at least once each month. Membership
76	on the task force shall be voluntary and a vacancy shall be
77	filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Members
78	shall serve without compensation.
79	(4) The Department of Health and the Agency for Health
80	Care Administration shall jointly provide staff to assist the
81	task force in fulfilling its responsibilities.
82	(5) The task force shall develop solutions, make
83	recommendations, and report to the President of the Senate and
84	the Speaker of the House of Representatives at the beginning of
85	the 2005 Regular Session. The task force shall cease to exist
86	May 6, 2005.
87	Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.