Alisa LaPolt

Healthcare train doesn’t make it out of station before House calls it quits

Published on April 28, 2015 in Top Headlines by Christine Jordan Sexton

Heath care was the divisive issue of the 2015 regular legislative session with healthcare financing and Medicaid expansion proving to be issues too large to bridge differences. When the House of Representatives abruptly called it quits on Tuesday, several healthcare issues outside of Medicaid went down in a fiery crash. Longtime healthcare lobbyist Christopher Nuland said when House Speaker Steve Crisafulli addressed the chamber and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Corcoran announced Sine Die, he was “dumbfounded. Every lobbyist had the same mouth-open expression,” Nuland said.…

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Step therapy amendment added to latest healthcare train bill

Published on April 20, 2015 in Top Headlines by Christine Jordan Sexton

A Senate committee tagged a controversial healthcare bill to a measure expanding the scope of practice for Florida’s nurses, a priority for the Florida House this year. The Senate Rules Committee on Monday committee agreed to tack on an amendment to CS/CS/SB 614, which would allow doctors to override step therapy protocols within 24 hours if a physician believes, based on sound medical evidence, that the step therapy treatment would be ineffective or would cause an adverse reaction. Former Senate President Don Gaetz…

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Will House panel OK a bill allowing advanced RNs to practice without MDs’ oversight?

Published on March 25, 2015 in Top Headlines by Christine Jordan Sexton

At its last scheduled meeting of the year, the House Health Innovation Subcommittee will consider a bill to allow advanced registered nurse practitioners to practice independently from physicians. Sponsored by physician and state Rep. Cary Pigman, HB 547 was temporarily deferred at the panel’s meeting last week when it appeared that it was going to fail. The committee will tackle the bill again today when it meets at 9 a.m. It is the only bill on the agenda. Today’s vote is…

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