The Florida Legislature dealt with a number of health care bills this session. See the Florida Current for a roundup of the issues, including Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, optometrist vs. ophthalmologist prescribing powers and a new Medicaid billing formula for hospitals.
As the Tampa Bay Times reports, many not-for-profit hospitals are worried about how their funding will be affected by the new payment model. They’re also concerned about the effects of the state’s refusal to expand Medicaid and the loosening of rules on new trauma centers.
Meanwhile, generic drug manufacturers are celebrating a big win on biosimilars, drugs that are made from living systems or organisms, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports. Patents for several biologics will expire in the next few years, but Florida Legislators rejected a bill that would have made it harder for patients to be prescribed generic biosimilars in place of brand-name biologics.