CS/HB 843 - Health Care (2019)

• Establishes the Dental Student Loan Repayment Program to support dentists practicing in underserved areas, providing up to $50,000 annually per dentist for maximum 5 years, limited to 10 new participants per fiscal year.

• Creates the Donated Dental Services Program contracted with nonprofits to provide free comprehensive dental care through volunteer dentists to needy, disabled, elderly, and medically compromised individuals.

• Requires hospitals to notify patients' primary care providers within 24 hours of admission and discharge, inform patients of consultation options, provide quality/safety data to patients, and immediately notify patients when placed on observation status.

• Establishes a Pediatric Cardiac Technical Advisory Panel to develop standards for pediatric cardiac programs, with authority for site visits and reporting on surgical outcomes.

• Prohibits health insurers and HMOs from requiring step-therapy protocols for prescription drugs if the insured was previously approved for the drug by another plan within 90 days; voids restrictive covenants on physicians in monopolized specialties.