| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to health care clinics; directing the |
| 3 | Department of Health to conduct a study relating to |
| 4 | availability of health care to uninsured and indigent |
| 5 | persons in the state; requiring a report to the Governor |
| 6 | and Legislature; specifying contents of the report; |
| 7 | providing an effective date. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Section 1. The Department of Health is directed to conduct |
| 12 | a comprehensive study of health care options available in the |
| 13 | state to uninsured persons and persons who are eligible for |
| 14 | indigent care programs. The purpose of the study is to provide a |
| 15 | more efficient and effective system that enhances the quality of |
| 16 | health care and health care outcomes for recipients. |
| 17 | (1) The study shall examine: |
| 18 | (a) The existing health care providers for uninsured and |
| 19 | indigent persons in each county in the state, such as free |
| 20 | clinics, county health departments, federally qualified health |
| 21 | clinics, rural clinics, and Medicaid and Medicare providers. |
| 22 | (b) The demographics and needs of the uninsured or |
| 23 | indigent populations. |
| 24 | (c) The population served by each provider. |
| 25 | (d) The accessibility of each provider to the uninsured or |
| 26 | indigent populations in their respective counties. |
| 27 | (e) The limitations of each provider with regard to whom |
| 28 | they can, or do, deliver services. |
| 29 | (f) The current capacity of each provider. |
| 30 | (g) The method of funding for each provider. |
| 31 | (h) The resources and needs of each provider. |
| 32 | (i) Other providers in the county that may be available to |
| 33 | serve this population. |
| 34 | (2) The agency shall identify and make recommendations to |
| 35 | eliminate the gaps in coverage and to promote collaboration |
| 36 | between health care providers to improve the quality of health |
| 37 | care delivered to the uninsured and indigent populations. The |
| 38 | agency shall submit a report containing those recommendations to |
| 39 | the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of |
| 40 | the House of Representatives by January 31, 2008. |
| 41 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007. |