Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 808
       
       
        
       By Senator DiCeglie
       
       
       
       
       
       18-00704-24                                            2024808__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to treatment by a medical specialist;
    3         amending s. 112.18, F.S.; authorizing firefighters,
    4         law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and
    5         correctional probation officers to receive medical
    6         treatment by a medical specialist for certain
    7         conditions under certain circumstances; requiring
    8         firefighters, law enforcement officers, correctional
    9         officers, and correctional probation officers to
   10         notify certain entities of their selection of a
   11         medical specialist before beginning treatment;
   12         requiring that such treatment be reasonable,
   13         necessary, and related to the firefighter’s or
   14         officer’s condition; specifying a reimbursement
   15         percentage for such treatment; defining the term
   16         “medical specialist”; providing an effective date.
   17          
   18  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   19  
   20         Section 1. Subsection (3) is added to section 112.18,
   21  Florida Statutes, to read:
   22         112.18 Firefighters and law enforcement or correctional
   23  officers; special provisions relative to disability.—
   24         (3)(a) A firefighter or a law enforcement officer,
   25  correctional officer, or correctional probation officer as
   26  defined in s. 943.10(1), (2), or (3), respectively, requiring
   27  medical treatment for a compensable presumptive condition listed
   28  in subsection (1) may be treated by a medical specialist. Except
   29  in emergency situations, a firefighter, law enforcement officer,
   30  correctional officer, or correctional probation officer entitled
   31  to receive treatment by a medical specialist under this
   32  subsection must provide notice of his or her selection of a
   33  medical specialist to his or her workers’ compensation carrier,
   34  self-insured employer, or third-party administrator, as
   35  applicable, before he or she begins treatment, and the workers’
   36  compensation carrier, self-insured employer, or third-party
   37  administrator must authorize and schedule the appointment and
   38  treatment with the medical specialist. The treatment by a
   39  medical specialist must be reasonable, necessary, and related to
   40  tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension and reimbursed at
   41  no more than 200 percent of the Medicare rate.
   42         (b) For purposes of this subsection, the term “medical
   43  specialist” means a physician licensed under chapter 458 or
   44  chapter 459 who has board certification in a medical specialty
   45  inclusive of care and treatment of tuberculosis, heart disease,
   46  or hypertension.
   47         Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 2024.