The bill amends several sections of Florida Statutes related to home health care services, primarily focusing on staffing and eligibility criteria for home health agencies. It removes geographical limitations that previously restricted the number of agencies an administrator could 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, allowing for more flexibility in staffing.

Furthermore, the bill revises the eligibility criteria for the Excellence in Home Health Program, introducing adaptable standards that apply to all types of home health agencies, irrespective of payor type or patient population. New criteria include patient satisfaction, service excellence, workforce stability, and innovation in care delivery, while deleting previous requirements that were more specific and less inclusive. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

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