The Health Care Freedom Act proposes significant changes to existing Florida statutes concerning abortion services, sex-reassignment procedures, and healthcare provider conscience protections. It aims to repeal certain laws while introducing a new requirement for covered entities to provide patients with a complete list of refused services by a specified date, which must also be submitted to the Department of Health. Non-compliance may lead to civil penalties, and the department will maintain an updated list of these entities and their refused services online. The bill also redefines terms related to pregnancy support and gender identity, removes prohibitions on telehealth for abortions, eliminates the definition of "fatal fetal abnormality," and revises the timeframe for pregnancy terminations.

Additionally, the bill places restrictions on third-trimester abortions, allowing them only under specific conditions and banning telehealth for these procedures. It ensures Medicaid reimbursement for gender-affirming care without discrimination based on gender identity and repeals previous definitions that limited care for transgender individuals. The legislation also establishes comprehensive reporting requirements for Medicaid management, focusing on overpayment recovery and prevention, and updates various provisions related to Medicaid services and healthcare practitioners. The act is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
S 782 Filed: 286.31, 286.311, 381.96, 390.011, 390.012, 456.47, 456.52, 766.318, 61.517, 61.534, 409.908, 409.913, 456.074, 636.0145