Week 5: Healthcare Highlights

Fraser Cobbe and Joe Daraskevich take a look back at the first half of the 2026 legislative session in Tallahassee. Fraser dives in with a breakdown of why this session has been more about process than progress so far. It's hard to say whether that's good or bad for organized medicine, since physicians are in favor of some of the bills stuck in the logjam and opposed to some of the other bills. Fraser and Joe look into two bills that did see a little momentum, one that relates to naturopathic medicine and another that focuses on sickle cell CME. Joe leaves viewers with a music recommendation for a band that will be touring Florida this week for any doctors looking to get out of the house for some live music. Feel free to leave a comment or a question, because Joe and Fraser will be speaking with a special guest on next week's show!

Capitol Update: Quick highlights of health care issues discussed this week.

NOTE: Click below on any of the bill numbers for more in-depth analysis of the proposed legislation.

Session Concludes: March 13, 2026

The following update is provided by Toni Large, Large Strategies, INC.

Passing Committee This Week

SB 54 - Use of Substances Affecting Cognitive Function

Require additional autopsy procedures and reporting for violent offenders while establishing new protocols for school safety and law enforcement training related to psychotropic drugs and other intoxicating substances.

Creates s. 406.139, F.S., mandating medical examiners to consult with treating professionals, conduct toxicology screenings, and report findings on psychotropic drug or substance use when a violent offender dies.
Requires notification to state agencies of any psychotropic or intoxicating substance findings in these autopsies and establishes related reporting requirements.
Authorizes release of certain patient records to law enforcement for investigations involving violent offenders under new subsection (8) of s. 456.057, F.S.

SB 1506 - Civil Litigation

Revises the criteria for courts to consider in determining whether a civil damages award is excessive or inadequate.

Updates statutory language by clarifying and modernizing references to the court’s responsibilities in reviewing civil damages awards.
Adds new factors for determining whether noneconomic damages have a rational, evidence-based connection to the injuries suffered.
Applies these revised standards to pending and future causes of action.
Incorporates these changes in existing statutes that reference the court’s role in reviewing punitive and compensatory damages awards.

HB 353 - Sickle Cell Disease Treatment of Pain Continuing Education

Amends continuing education requirements on prescribing controlled substances to include pain treatment for patients with sickle cell disease.

Adds the treatment of pain for patients with sickle cell disease to the required 2-hour continuing education course on prescribing controlled substances.

SB 1110 - Coverage for Orthotics and Prosthetics Services

CS/SB 1110 modifies the optional Medicaid coverage for durable medical equipment to include orthotics and prosthetics.

The additional coverage applies to the following “eligible individuals”:
A child younger than 18 years old;
A dependent child;
An individual 26 years of age or younger who remains covered under a parent’s health insurance policy; or
An individual with a developmental disability.
The bill authorizes the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to provide Medicaid coverage payment for certain orthotics and prosthetics, all materials and components necessary to use them, instructions on their use, and any necessary repairs or replacements.
AHCA is required to seek federal approval and amend contracts as necessary to implement the change made to Medicaid coverage in the bill.

Further, the bill mandates coverage of certain orthotics and prosthetics for insured eligible individuals if certain conditions are met for the following types of insurance coverage beginning on or after July 1, 2026:

An individual accident and health insurance policy (“individual insurance policy”),
A group, blanket, and franchise health insurance (“group insurance policy”), and
A health maintenance organization (HMO) contract.

SB 902 - Department of Health

Revise the definition of low-THC cannabis, adjust physician and medical director requirements, impose new distance restrictions for medical marijuana facilities, update the Early Steps Program, mandate license suspension for murder-related arrests, permit nurse delegation of certain controlled substances, and expand autism micro-credential training.

SB 68 - Health Care Patient Protection: ER PEDS Readiness

Improve pediatric patient care in hospital emergency departments by implementing pediatric-specific policies, procedures, training, and readiness assessments.

HB 1425 - Consultant Pharmacists

Expand the definition of 'health care facility' to include specified clinics, thereby enabling consultant pharmacists to provide medication management services in those settings.

Revises the definition of 'health care facility' under s. 465.0125(1)(e) by adding clinics owned by a hospital or by physicians employed by or contracted with a hospital.
Authorizes consultant pharmacists to provide medication management services in these newly included clinics.

HB 1291 - Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association

Revise the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Plan by expanding reimbursement requirements, clarifying participant obligations, and modifying the plan’s funding and governance structures.

HB 47 - Specific Medical Diagnoses in Child Protective Investigations

CS/CS/HB 47 authorizes the parent or legal custodian of a child removed from the home by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to request a second medical evaluation or examination, or a compilation of differential diagnoses, within five days of an initial medical evaluation or examination.

The health care practitioner who performs the second medical evaluation or examination, or compiles a differential diagnosis, must submit a written report to DCF and the parent or legal custodian within 10 days. DCF must convene a case staffing to reach consensus in cases with conflicting diagnostic opinions.
The bill requires DCF to notify parents that they must report to DCF a child’s preexisting diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Osteogenesis imperfecta, Rickets, or Vitamin D deficiency, and must provide DCF with the name and contact information of the healthcare practitioner who rendered such diagnosis within 10 days after DCF notifies the parents.
The bill establishes a 14-day interval in which a healthcare practitioner may furnish patient records to DCF after receiving a records request from DCF. In the instance of such a diagnosis, the Child Protection Team must consult with certain medical professionals when evaluating the child.
The bill authorizes DCF to delay forwarding allegations of criminal conduct to law enforcement pending the outcome of the child protection investigation if the parent or legal custodian alleges the child has a certain preexisting condition, or has requested a second examination of the child.

HB 1021 - Administration of Medications by Pharmacists

CS/CS/HB 1021 authorizes a pharmacist who meets certain experience requirements to administer medications to a patient during a life-threatening emergency event at a Level 1, Level 2, or Pediatric Trauma Center at the direction of a physician.

PASSING Committee this Week of CONCERN

SB 1760 - Health Care Coverage

Are you a physician practice that infuses in your office?

Do you use a patient care model where you "Buy & Bill" under medical benefits for the drug infused in your office?

If so- this legislation appears to include language that would only define a covered prescription drug as one paid for as a "pharmacy benefit," excluding the patient delivery model billed under "medical benefits."

Once again- PBMs and insurers are forcing patients to receive their infused drug via a "white bagging" model (from the PBMs own specialty pharmacies) regardless if the patient can obtain the drug at a cheaper price via the delivery model above, billed via medical benefits.

HB 173 - Parental Rights

The bill expands the express rights of a parent relating to child’s health care and health records.
The bill grants additional rights to parents relating to surveys and questionnaires intended for their child and requires a parent’s express consent prior to the use of a biofeedback device on their minor child.
The bill removes or limits several provisions of law which currently allow for minors to receive specified health care services or treatment without parental consent relating to:
Family planning services;
Treatment for sexually transmissible diseases;
Voluntary mental health services; and
Voluntary substance abuse services.

HB 1309 - Patient Access to Records

The bill requires all health care practitioners and facilities, excluding nursing homes, to provide records within 14 days of a request and allow inspection of records within 10 days.
Health care providers and facilities may produce the requested records in paper or electronic format.
However, health care providers and facilities must produce the requested records in an electronic format, including access through a web-based patient portal or submission into a patient’s electronic personal health record, if the health care provider or facility maintains an electronic health recordkeeping system.
The bill requires nursing homes to provide residents with access to their records within 24 hours (excluding holidays and weekends) and a copy of any requested records within two working days of request.

HB 223 - Naturopathic Medicine

SB 688 - Naturopathic Medicine

Establishes Florida’s regulation of naturopathic medicine by renaming Chapter 462, establishing a new Board, and revising license, education, and disciplinary provisions.