Dear FSPS Members,
The dust has settled, the legislators and lobbyists have gone home, and the chambers have been locked until after Election Day. While the 2024 Legislative Session will be remembered mostly for what did NOT pass, some notable legislation did pass.
For instance, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo’s Live Healthy package cleared both chambers. This initiative would ease the process for international physicians to become licensed in Florida (although we did get an amendment requiring such physicians to have had a medical residency “substantially similar” to an ACGME-approved program) and has Florida joining the Interstate Licensing Compact.
Also passing was an Office Surgery Bill that, as originally drafted, would have stopped most office surgery while all such facilities were inspected to determine if they should be classified as ambulatory surgical centers. As finally passed, however, the legislation only affects those performing gluteal fat transfers (a/k/a Brazilian Butt Lifts), and merely required facilities performing such procedures to have malpractice insurance or a Letter of Credit.
In an unexpected victory for all physicians, the Legislature passed a Workers Compensation pay raise for physicians, with surgeons now receiving 210% of the Medicare allowance (up from 140%), and other services to be compensated at 175% of Medicare (up from 110%).
As mentioned in the opening, 2024 will also be remembered for what did NOT pass. As always, Scope of Practice Defense was one of our priorities, and I am pleased to announce that no notable Scope of Practice expansion occurred, despite the best efforts of Naturopaths, Nurses, and other allied health providers. In a more controversial initiative, an effort to ban restrictive covenants for health care providers was not even considered in the House and therefore dies, as did an effort to require physicians to accept cash for most services.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those physicians who took time away from their practices and families to communicate with legislators and me throughout the Session. Your input is vital, and together we continue to make a huge impact on the legislative process.
Chris Nuland, Esq
