Lawmakers last year passed a bill that allows doctors, chiropractors and nurses to enter into primary-care arrangements with patients. The concept was dubbed “direct primary care.”
Now, the Legislature is revisiting the law and looking at adding dentists to the list of health care providers who can enter into the arrangements.
Under direct primary care, providers can collect monthly fees to offer services to patients and not run afoul of Florida’s insurance laws.
In addition to adding dentists to the list of providers who can enter into the agreements, the bill would change the name from direct “primary care” agreements to direct “health care” agreements.
The bill (HB 7), sponsored by Rep. Wyman Duggan, R-Jacksonville, cleared the House Health & Human Services Committee by a 15-2 vote Thursday. A Senate version (SB 1520), sponsored by Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Chairman Aaron Bean, R- Fernandina Beach, will be discussed Monday in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.
