This bill amends several sections of Florida Statutes related to home health care services. It removes geographical limitations on the number of home health agencies an administrator can manage, allowing an administrator to oversee up to five agencies with identical controlling interests regardless of their location. Additionally, the bill eliminates the requirement for home health agencies to provide initial admission, service evaluation, and discharge visits exclusively through direct employees, instead allowing for care to be managed by both direct employees and contracted individuals, while ensuring that the admitting agency remains responsible for the quality of care provided.

Furthermore, the bill revises the eligibility criteria for the Excellence in Home Health Program, introducing adaptable standards for all types of home health agencies, regardless of payor type or patient population. The new criteria emphasize patient satisfaction, service excellence, workforce stability, and innovation in care delivery, while removing outdated requirements related to emergency care and employee satisfaction metrics. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 1412 Filed: 400.476, 400.487, 400.52