Nursing Home Litigation Reform: CS/CS/SB 670, by Senator Thrasher, PASSED. The legislation is now Chapter No. 2014-82, Laws of Florida, effective June 13, 2014. The companion bill was CS/CS/HB 569 by Representative Gaetz. AARP supported the legislation. • This legislation maintains a pathway for nursing home residents, or their representatives, to sue persons or entities who or which tortiously injure nursing home residents. The bill protects from suit truly passive investors in nursing homes, but it allows suit against them if they participate in the management or operation of the nursing homes. See Voting Record for CS/CS/SB 670, p. 31; CS/CS/HB 569, p. 33 Certificates of Need (CON): As a result of Medicaid reform, the moratorium in effect since 2001 on nursing home bed construction expired March 1, 2014. CS/CS/HB 287 by Representative Artiles, PASSED. The legislation is now Chapter No. 2014-110, Laws of Florida, effective July 1, 2014. The companion bill was CS/CS/SB 268, by Senator Grimsley. AARP supported the legislation. • This legislation keeps in place the CON process for nursing homes. The original language proposed an increase of authority for 5,000 nursing home beds between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2019. AARP worked with the bill sponsors and the nursing home industry to negotiate a more prudent, lower number of authorized beds, i.e., 3,750 beds from July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2017. • Over 3 years, this negotiated number will save approximately $300,000,000 in nursing home fees plus construction costs for 1,250 nursing home beds. • During the three years for implementation of this bill, the state will have the opportunity to collect “actual data” from which to recommend any further increases/decreases in the number of nursing home beds required to meet the true demand. See Voting Record for CS/CS/HB 287 p. 34; CS/ CS/SB 268 p. 36 State Ombudsman Program: CS/HB 91, by Representative Roberson, FAILED. The companion bill was CS/SB 508 by Senator Detert. AARP supported the legislation. The
legislation would have: • Restructured the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, regulated by the Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA). • Established state districts for the Ombudsman program, thereby eliminating a requirement for publicly noticed and regularly scheduled public hearings. However, AARP drove the effort to amend the bill to require quarterly public meetings by each state district. That amendment was adopted. See Voting Record for CS/HB 91 p. 37; CS/SB 508 p. 38 Alzheimer’s Disease: In 2012, the Legislature created the Purple Ribbon Task Force, under the Department of Elder Affairs. The Task Force developed a state plan to address the needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and needs of their caregivers. CS/CS/HB 709, by Representative Hudson, PASSED. The legislation is now Chapter No. 2014-163, Laws of Florida, effective July 1, 2014. The companion bill was CS/CS/SB 872 by Senator Richter. AARP supported the legislation. The legislation: • Implements several of the Purple Ribbon Task Force’s recommendations, including statewide special needs registration for coordination of services to recipients in emergency shelters. • Creates the Ed and Ethel Moore Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program to fund research for the prevention and cure of Alzheimer’s disease (see “Budget” for more details). • Directs the Department of Elder Affairs to develop performance standards for memory disorder clinics and to condition contract funding on compliance with the standards. See Voting Record for CS/CS/HB 709 p. 39; CS/ CS/SB 872 p. 41 Hepatitis C Testing: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate “baby boomers” (born during 1945-1965) comprise an estimated 27 percent of the population, but account for approximately 75 percent of all Hepatitis infections in the United States and 73 percent of Hepatitis-associated mortality. CS/SB 824, by Senator Joyner, FAILED. The companion bill was CS/HB 465 by Representative Jones (M). AARP supported the bill. • The legislation would have specified that a
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