CS/HB 6553 Summary

• Appropriates $1.5 million from the General Revenue Fund to Cristina Alvarez and $900,000 to George Patnode as compensation for the death of their 5-month-old son Nicholas from bacterial meningitis caused by negligence at the Martin County Health Department clinic on January 8, 1998.

• The Department of Health had previously paid $200,000 under statutory liability limits; this bill supplements that amount for a total of $2.6 million in judgment compensation.

• Directs the Chief Financial Officer to issue warrants to each parent from Department of Health funds in the State Treasury.

• Requires the governmental entity to repay the Agency for Health Care Administration all unreimbursed Medicaid medical payments, with equal deductions from each parent's award.

• Limits fees and expenses to $300,000 for attorney fees, $75,000 for lobbying fees, and $2,080.64 for costs and other expenses; declares awards as sole compensation for all claims arising from the incident.