Sweeping Florida Healthcare Bills Pushed Past the Senate Floor

TALLAHASSEE, FL --- Senate President Kathleen Passidomo's sweeping healthcare agenda is on the move, following the Florida Senate's unanimous passage of her widespread reforms Thursday morning. Key points of the plan include increasing Floridian doctors and generating new facilities for women to give birth.

The project is composed of two bills, SB 7016 and SB 7018, designed to create “probably the most comprehensive healthcare bill I have ever seen," Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell, the sponsor of SB 7016, said Thursday of her bill.

Pres. Passidomo agreed, explaining the importance of creating and retaining doctors in Florida: “It makes no sense to graduate people from medical school and not have residency programs for them here in Florida and then they go to another state,”

“It doesn’t make sense because when they move to another state and they put down roots, they stay there.” She added.

The plan drew some Democratic criticism, however, with its provision for “advanced birth centers”. These centers would provide cesarean-section deliveries for women with low-risk pregnancies, a procedure traditionally done only in hospitals.

“At the end of the day, for me, the birthing center looks like a boutique,” Democratic Sen. Tracie Davis said, voicing concerns over the safety and authenticity of these centers, “It looks like someone is choosing to have this specialized service."

“Safety, I think, is on all of our minds regarding these potential new locations for moms to give birth,” Republican Sen. Colleen Burton, the sponsor of SB 7018 responded. “And the state Agency for Health Care Administration is given the authority moving forward to advance safety, to ensure that there are safety regulations wrapped around what could be, I think, very important alternatives for moms here in the state of Florida.”

There's a total of 10 similar bills to these health care packages moving through the two chambers, and only once every Senate bill has an identical House version will they be eligible to become law. These 2 bills, while having numerous similar companions, are yet to have an identical House companion.