A House panel approved a bill that would create a process for public hospital districts to convert to nonprofit organizations and require districts to study the financial feasibility of converting to nonprofits or selling to for-profit companies.
The House Select Committee on Health Innovation on Monday voted 7-3 to approve the proposal (HB 1421), sponsored by Rep. Randy Fine, R-Brevard County.
Under current law, Fine said districts can sell or lease hospitals to other entities. But he said they cannot convert to nonprofit organizations.
The bill would allow districts, if they choose, to go through a conversion process. Also, it would require all hospital districts to hire consultants to do financial evaluations of possible conversions or sales.
Fine said the bill would not require conversion or sales but would lead to analyzing “what might the world look like” if districts were changed.
“Just because something was a good idea in 1948 or 1928 or 1968 doesn’t mean it is a good idea today,” Fine said.
The bill is opposed by the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida, which includes public, teaching and children’s hospitals.
A Senate version (SB 1700) has not been heard in committees.
