Florida Health Care Bill (CS for CS for SB 2434) - 2010 Summary

• Nursing Home Regulations: Eliminates the limited nursing services license category for assisted living facilities; allows standard license facilities to provide limited nursing services directly; increases licensing fees and establishes minimum staffing standards for facilities serving persons under 21 years of age.

• Blood Establishment Transparency: Requires blood establishments collecting from volunteer donors to disclose on the Internet their collection processes, annual blood component production/distribution data, conflict-of-interest policies, and financial statements; authorizes disciplinary action for non-compliance with fines up to $10,000 annually.

• Administrative and Regulatory Updates: Eliminates various obsolete provisions; updates references to accrediting organizations to reflect current names (e.g., "The Joint Commission" instead of "Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations"); transfers child abuse reporting authority from Department of Health to Department of Children and Family Services.

• Respite Care and Facility Compliance: Establishes detailed requirements for nursing home respite care programs including written plans, contracts, physician orders, and 60-day annual limits; modifies inspection schedules and reduces monitoring visit requirements for certain facilities.

• Certificate of Need and Licensing Changes: Clarifies hospice facility requirements; removes requirement for private review agents to obtain licensure; authorizes agencies to extend licenses for orderly client discharge; adds penalties for altered or falsified license certificates.