The bill amends various sections of Florida Statutes to enhance health and human services, particularly in dental and cancer care, as well as nursing home facilities. It allows dental and dental hygiene students to apply for the Dental Student Loan Repayment Program prior to employment, provided they have an offer in a public health program or private practice. The bill also establishes the Cancer Connect Collaborative, which will prioritize grant applications for cancer research and treatment in underserved areas, and mandates the creation of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute VisionGen Initiative to advance research on inherited eye diseases. Additionally, it introduces consumer satisfaction surveys for nursing homes, requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration to develop user-friendly surveys and publish aggregated data, while emphasizing the importance of quality care through biennial patient safety culture surveys.

Moreover, the bill enhances standards for nursing home medical directors by requiring certification from recognized associations and imposes stricter financial reporting requirements with penalties for non-compliance. It revises the methodology for calculating Quality Incentive Program payments to include consumer satisfaction survey results and mandates annual reporting on these payments. The bill also expands the Training, Education, and Clinicals in Health (TEACH) Funding Program to support nonprofit organizations serving Medicaid recipients in health professional shortage areas and sets reimbursement rates for healthcare training programs. Overall, the bill aims to improve care quality, transparency, and compliance within Florida's healthcare system, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
S 2514 pb: 400.141, 400.191, 408.08, 409.908