FL H0843

Creates section 430.81, Florida Statutes, establishing a "teaching agency for home and community-based care" as a licensed home health agency with sufficient resident population to support geriatric education, training, and research.

Authorizes the Department of Elderly Affairs to designate qualifying home health agencies as teaching agencies if they meet eight criteria, including not-for-profit status, 10+ years as a community care for elderly lead agency, 20+ years in-state operation, nationally recognized accreditation, and Medicare/Medicaid certification.

Requires teaching agencies to have a formalized affiliation agreement with an established academic research university in Florida with a nationally accredited health professions program and maintain salaried academic faculty from such a program.

Mandates teaching agencies maintain minimum insurance coverage or financial responsibility of $750,000 through escrow accounts, letters of credit, or equivalent proof, with funds available upon final judgment or settlement of liability claims.

Allows teaching agencies to affiliate with academic health centers in Florida to foster development of improved home health services and serve as research and training resources for healthcare professionals serving frail and elderly persons; effective July 1, 2011.