TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – Getting health care at home is about to get easier for Florida families. A new law modernizes home health care rules to expand staffing flexibility and streamline oversight.
Under the new law, home health agencies can now use contracted staff, such as travel nurses, to perform critical patient visits. That includes admissions, evaluations and discharges. Previously, only direct employees could handle those responsibilities.
Rep. Gallop Franklin (D), Tallahassee, said the move is beneficial for patients.
“Imagine a hospital not being able to use any contract nurses or travel nurses. They wouldn’t be able to take care of patients,” Franklin said. “We made the hiring of that more flexible.”
The law also updates oversight rules, allowing a home health agency administrator to manage up to five agencies under the same ownership, as long as they are within an hour’s travel distance. Lawmakers say the change will help agencies operate more efficiently without sacrificing accountability.
The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is also required to revise its Excellence in Home Health Program to fairly evaluate and recognize all types of providers.
“This is a major step forward for Florida families who rely on home health care,” Franklin said. “We’re cutting red tape, empowering providers, and helping ensure more Floridians receive quality care in the comfort of their own homes.”
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