SESSION WATCH
Died HOUSE · SESSION 2026

No. HB 531

Managed Care Plans
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SPONSOR
Barnaby; Basabe
FILED BY
Webster Barnaby — District 29, Republican [search donations]
Fabián Basabe — District 106, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee

Filed under Healthcare.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Managed Care Plans; Revises Medicaid managed care contract requirements to prohibit managed care plans from reviewing certain prior authorization claims for medical necessity; requires that managed care plans provide coverage for durable medical equipment & complex rehabilitation technology from qualified provider, from within provider network, of enrollee's choosing; requires AHCA to adopt certain rules.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Bars Medicaid plans from second-guessing medical necessity after approval.

Once a Medicaid managed care plan has given prior authorization for equipment, supplies, or services, it can no longer deny or claw back payment by reopening the medical-necessity question, whether the review happens before or after payment.

Managed care plans and their subcontractors must cover durable medical equipment and complex rehabilitation technology from whichever qualified in-network provider the enrollee picks, rather than steering them to a single preferred vendor.

The state agency must write rules guaranteeing that provider choice and must add a specific complaint procedure to the existing grievance process for enrollees denied that choice.

The medical-necessity provision is not written as DME-specific, so it appears to protect any previously authorized Medicaid managed care claim, not just equipment and rehabilitation technology.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 Bars re-review of medical necessity after prior authorization majors. 409.967(2)(p)

AIOnce a Medicaid managed care plan has given prior authorization for equipment, supplies, or services, it may not later deny or claw back payment by reopening the question of medical necessity, whether the review happens before or after payment.

“prepayment or postpayment review may not include review for medical necessity for the previously approved equipment, supplies, or services” bill text, line 25 →
§ 2 Requires coverage for the enrollee's chosen in-network DME provider majors. 409.967(2)(q)

AIManaged care plans and their subcontractors must cover durable medical equipment and complex rehabilitation technology from whichever qualified provider the enrollee picks, as long as that provider is within the plan's network.

“Managed care plans, or their subcontractors, shall provide coverage for durable medical equipment or complex rehabilitation technology” bill text, line 28 →
§ 3 Requires the agency to write rules guaranteeing that choice moderates. 409.967(2)(q)

AIThe agency must adopt rules specifically authorizing enrollees to pick their durable medical equipment or complex rehabilitation technology provider from among in-network options.

“Authorizing enrollees to choose the provider, within the provider network, from which they can receive eligible durable medical equipment or complex rehabilitation technology.” bill text, line 35 →
§ 4 Creates a grievance path for denied provider choice moderates. 409.967(2)(q)

AIEnrollees who believe they were denied the right to choose their own in-network durable medical equipment provider get a specific complaint procedure inside the existing grievance resolution process.

“a procedure within the grievance resolution process adopted under paragraph (h) for enrollees to file a complaint” bill text, line 38 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee
1/13/2026
1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
12/3/2025
Now in Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee
12/3/2025
Referred to Health & Human Services Committee
12/3/2025
Referred to Health Care Facilities & Systems Subcommittee
11/24/2025
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 409.967
+156 / −0