Florida Senate - 2009                                     SB 282
       
       
       
       By Senator Bullard
       
       
       
       
       39-00223-09                                            2009282__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to congenital craniofacial anomalies;
    3         requiring that the Agency for Health Care
    4         Administration, in consultation with the Office of
    5         Insurance Regulation, conduct a study concerning the
    6         medical necessity, costs, and efficacy of mandating
    7         coverage for certain treatments and therapies;
    8         requiring that the agency report its findings and
    9         recommendations to the Legislature; providing an
   10         appropriation; providing an effective date.
   11         
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13         
   14         Section 1. (1) The Agency for Health Care Administration,
   15  in consultation with the Office of Insurance Regulation, shall
   16  conduct a study evaluating the medical necessity, efficacy, and
   17  costs of requiring health insurers and health maintenance
   18  organizations to provide coverage for cranial-skull-molding
   19  orthotics and other therapies used in the treatment of
   20  deformational or positional plagiocephaly. The agency and office
   21  shall evaluate whether gaps in coverage currently exist in the
   22  small and large group insurance markets for medically necessary
   23  care and treatment of plagiocephaly. The agency shall provide
   24  information concerning the types of benefits, including the cost
   25  of such benefits, provided to Medicaid recipients for the
   26  treatment of plagiocephaly, and the demographic characteristics
   27  of such Medicaid recipients. The Department of Health shall
   28  coordinate with the agency to provide such information
   29  concerning coverage and the costs of providing such coverage to
   30  children having plagiocephaly who are enrolled in the Children's
   31  Medical Services Program.
   32         (2) The agency, in consultation with the office, may
   33  contract with an actuary who is a member of the American Academy
   34  of Actuaries and other persons who have an extensive background
   35  in health insurance for the purpose of assisting the agency in
   36  evaluating the medical necessity, efficacy, and costs of such
   37  coverage. The agency shall report its findings and
   38  recommendations related to mandating insurance coverage for the
   39  treatment of plagiocephaly to the President of the Senate and
   40  the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than
   41  January 1, 2009.
   42         Section 2. For the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the sum of
   43  $25,000 is appropriated in nonrecurring funds from the Insurance
   44  Regulatory Trust Fund to the Office of Insurance Regulation for
   45  the purpose of funding the study conducted by the Agency for
   46  Health Care Administration as provided in this act.
   47         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.