| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to the Primary Care Access Network; |
| 3 | creating a pilot program to provide extended operating |
| 4 | hours for the purpose of offering health care services at |
| 5 | overcrowded clinics in the Primary Care Access Network in |
| 6 | specified counties; directing the Agency for Health Care |
| 7 | Administration to establish the pilot program in Orange, |
| 8 | Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto Counties; requiring |
| 9 | the agency to develop procedures for operating the pilot |
| 10 | program; requiring the agency to submit a report with |
| 11 | recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by a |
| 12 | specified date; providing an appropriation; providing an |
| 13 | effective date. |
| 14 |
|
| 15 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 16 |
|
| 17 | Section 1. (1) The Legislature finds that the Primary |
| 18 | Care Access Network (PCAN) was founded to address the needs of |
| 19 | the uninsured and those who are medically needy by providing a |
| 20 | system of service delivery that builds upon the strengths of its |
| 21 | current health provider partners. There has been an average 32- |
| 22 | percent decrease in nonurgent emergency room services used by |
| 23 | the uninsured in areas where one of the clinics is in operation. |
| 24 | In accordance with these findings, the Agency for Health Care |
| 25 | Administration shall establish a 2-year pilot program in Orange |
| 26 | and Pasco Counties and a 1-year pilot program in Manatee, |
| 27 | Sarasota, and DeSoto Counties to offer health care services |
| 28 | during the weekend and after regular business hours during the |
| 29 | week. |
| 30 | (2) To the extent that funding is available, the pilot |
| 31 | program shall provide funds to operate the PCAN clinics during |
| 32 | the extended hours that the clinics are open and to pay the |
| 33 | employees of those clinics accordingly. |
| 34 | (3) The agency shall develop procedures for operating the |
| 35 | pilot program. |
| 36 | (4) Each January 1, for the duration of the pilot program, |
| 37 | the agency shall submit to the Governor, the President of the |
| 38 | Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives an |
| 39 | annual report on the success and outcomes achieved by the pilot |
| 40 | program, which must include a recommendation as to whether the |
| 41 | pilot program should be continued, terminated, or expanded. |
| 42 | Section 2. The sum of $3.5 million is appropriated from |
| 43 | the General Revenue Fund to the Agency for Health Care |
| 44 | Administration for the purpose of implementing this act during |
| 45 | the 2007-2008 fiscal year. Of the funds provided, the sum of |
| 46 | $2.3 million shall be used for programs in Orange and Pasco |
| 47 | Counties, and $1.2 million shall be used for programs in |
| 48 | Manatee, Sarasota, and DeSoto Counties. |
| 49 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2007. |