Florida Hospital Association Testifies in Support of Live Health Legislation at First Committee Stop
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2023
CONTACT: JULIET HAUSER
(941) 830-2922
Tallahassee, Fla. – At the Senate Health Policy Committee today, the Florida
Hospital Association (FHA) praised lawmakers for their monumental investment to
strengthen Florida's health care system and innovative approaches to increasing
access and building our state's health care workforce pipeline.
“With the latest research, modern
technologies and innovative delivery methods, Florida hospitals are
strengthening the quality of care we provide and increasing access to the care
Floridians need," said David Mica,
Jr., executive vice president of public affairs at the Florida Hospital
Association. "Still, hospitals face challenges like workforce
shortages, stagnant reimbursement rates and the growing mental health crisis.
With the Live Healthy legislation,
our state's leaders are taking a proactive and comprehensive approach to
support our hospitals and tackle the challenges we face. The proposed
legislation incentivizes innovation, strengthens the workforce pipeline and
breaks down barriers to care. We are grateful to Florida Senate President
Kathleen Passidomo, Chair Colleen Burton, and Chair Gayle Harrell, for their
leadership."
The committee agenda included Senate Bill
7016, sponsored by Senator Burton, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health
Policy, and SB 7018, sponsored by Senator Harrell, Chair of the Senate
Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services. Both measures received
approval from the committee today.
These bills were revealed last week as
priorities of President Passidomo. Live
Healthy underscores the vital importance of growing Florida’s
physician, nurse and allied health care professional workforce, supporting
maternity care, helping patients obtain care in the right setting, implementing
innovative health care in rural areas, streamlining technology to ease the
administrative burden on health care professionals, and increasing access to
mental health services and primary care physicians.
Significant highlights outlined in
the Live Healthy legislation:
- $152 million to enhance hospital Medicaid reimbursement
rates to support moms and babies in labor & delivery
- Approval for Medicaid
reimbursement for Hospital @ Home
- $170 million for Graduate
Medical Education to train and retain the next generation of doctors
- $5 million to expand nurse
education capacity through the Linking Industry to Nursing Education
(LINE) program
- Reducing Barriers to
Psychologists psychiatric nurses to work in Baker Act Facilities
- $750 million over 10 years for
a revolving loan program to incentivize innovative health care solutions.
Learn more about SB 7016. Learn more about SB 7018.
ABOUT THE FHA
Founded in 1927, the Florida Hospital Association (FHA) is the leading voice for health care in the State of Florida. Through representation and advocacy, education, and informational services, the Florida Hospital Association supports the mission of over 200 hospitals and health care systems to provide the highest quality of care to the patients we serve. Led by President and CEO Mary Mayhew, the Florida Hospital Association is located in Tallahassee and is governed by a Board of Trustees and officers elected by the member institutions.
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