The Agency has partial oversight over HB 935, Section 4, Chapter 2011-122, Laws of Florida, and will answer questions concerning its limited legislative mandate.  The Department of Health’s Division of Medical Quality Assurance has oversight for practitioners who may be subject to the new law and are not associated with licensed or exempted facilities.

Exemption Statement

HB 935 requires applicants for health care clinic certificates of exemption, who meet the definition of "Urgent Care Center" in Paragraph 395.002 (30)¹, Florida Statutes (effective July 1, 2011), “[a]s a condition precedent to receiving a certificate of exemption, an applicant must provide to the agency documentation of compliance with these requirements” at HB935, line 252, et seq., then any urgent care center that applies for a certificate of exemption on or after July 1, 2011, must demonstrate compliance as a part of the application process.  Since the statute is effective July 1, 2011, the requirement of price posting is only effective after July 1, and since certificates of exemption do not expire, current certificate holders, who are not currently required to renew their certificates of exemption, are not required to comply.  However, if the facility comes within the definition of “urgent care center” set forth in Subsection 395.002 (30), Florida Statutes, it is independently required to comply. 

See licensing requirements in Subsection 400.9935 (6), Florida Statutes.

Licensing Statement

If an applicant for health care clinic licensure meets the definition of "Urgent Care Center" in Paragraph 395.002 (30)¹, F.S., it must post and publish many of its charges so patients can see them.  Specific requirements include:

• Post in a conspicuous place in the reception area of the facility
• Must include prices charged to uninsured patients paying at the time of service
• The sign must be at least 15 square feet in size and provide prices for at least the top 50 most frequently provided services.  The clinic is not limited to listing just 50 services.
• The pricing can have up to 3 price levels.

See licensing requirements in Paragraph 400.9935 (1) (i), Florida Statutes.
_________
¹395.002 (30), Florida Statutes.  "Urgent Care Center" means a facility or clinic that provides immediate but not emergent ambulatory medical care to patients with or without an appointment. It does not include the emergency department of a hospital.