Having previously passed the Senate with nearly all senators signing onto the measure as co-sponsors, SB 232 (Detert) earned the support of the House (115-2) on Wednesday. The bill is now ready to be signed into law and will soon head to Governor Scott for his authorization. Rep. Larry Ahern, a recipient of the Defensor Vitae (Defender of Life) Award at this year's Catholic Days at the Capitol, was the sponsor of the companion measure in the House, HB 403.

On Thursday, the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee unanimously (12-0) approved HB 89 (Diaz, J.) that eliminates the five-year waiting period for low-income, lawfully-residing immigrant children to participate in the KidCare insurance program. The proposal maintains the exclusion of eligibility for undocumented immigrants of any age.

HB 221 (Trujillo) requires coverage for emergency services regardless of whether the service is furnished by a participating or nonparticipating provider. The bill reduces out-of-pocket expenses associated with an issue known as 'balance billing' that can occur when patients who need emergency care are treated by providers who are not part of their insurers' networks. The bill was approved unanimously by the Insurance & Banking Subcommittee (12-0). A companion measure in the Senate, SB 1442 (Garcia), was filed last week. FCCB is monitoring these bills.