Legislative Issues
Our
goal is to broaden your
understanding of the sometimes complex legislative
issues facing the local,
state and national health care
system.
Legal Issues
Ethical Issues
2010
Florida Legislative Session
 The
FMA's Division of Governmental Affairs serves as the
major advocate for the medical profession before the
Florida Legislature. Working with the county medical
societies and specialty societies statewide, the FMA
represents physicians in
every medical specialty. Over the years, the FMA has
been on the forefront of issues that affect the
availability of high quality, affordable health care for
all Floridians. The DCMS and FMA continue to push for
legislative and regulatory solutions to the many
challenges facing the health care system and will
continue to fight vigorously against any measures that
would decrease access to quality health care and harm
the citizens of Florida.
FMA's 2010 Legislative
Agenda
FMA Council on Legislation
Updates - Weekly summaries of healthcare
related legislative activity
(you will be redirected to the
FMA
website)
2010
Fact Sheets (All PDF files) -
Summary of fact sheets
2010 Contact
Information for Duval Delegation
2010
Contact Information for US Representatives and Senators
for Northeast Florida
Guide to Effectively Communicate with your Legislator
Florida Legislature - Official
website of the Florida Legislature with links to the
Florida House of Representatives, Florida Senate,
Office of the Governor, and other key legislative
information.
 National
Advocacy Efforts of the American Medical Association
Thursday afternoon, the
House released legislative language for the
reconciliation bill that makes refinements to H.R. 3590,
the health system reform bill to be considered soon on
the floor. AMA staff are still in the process of
analyzing the language, but key provisions for
physicians that we have identified include:
-
Improved Medicaid payment rates for primary care
physicians to equal 100 percent of Medicare payment
rates, including payments for office visits and
immunizations, in 2013 and 2014. Provides 100
percent federal funding for the increased costs to
states. (Sec 1202)
-
Extended health insurance market reforms (dependent
coverage up to age 26, prohibition of lifetime
limits and rescissions, limitations on excessive
waiting periods) to grandfathered plans six months
after enactment. For group health plans, prohibits
pre-existing condition exclusions in 2014, restricts
annual limits six months after enactment, and
prohibits them in 2014. (Sec 2301)
-
Closes
the Medicare prescription drug donut hole through a
process beginning in 2010 and completed by 2020.
(Section 1101)
-
Increased federal medical assistance percentage
(FMAP) paid to states for individuals newly enrolled
in Medicaid as a result of the expansion of
eligibility to 133% FPL (100 percent for 2014-2016,
95 percent in 2017, 94 percent in 2018, 93 percent
in 2019, and 90 percent for 2020 and later years),
repeal of the special FMAP for Nebraska, and changes
in the formula used to calculate the amount of
increased FMAP that will be paid to states that had
expanded Medicaid eligibility to adults with incomes
up to 100 percent FPL prior to enactment of the Act.
(Sec 1201)
-
Sets a 75% assumed
utilization rate for expensive diagnostic imaging
equipment (priced at more than $1 million/MRI, CT).
(Sec 1107)
House Majority Leader
Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced that debate will not begin
until after members have had 72 hours to review the new
provisions, which sets the time for the first potential
floor votes at Sunday afternoon.
The AMA will
post a detailed summary of the legislation on their web
site once it is completed.
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