No. HB 551
Filed under Healthcare.
Medical Conscience ; Authorizes health care providers & health care payors to commence civil action for certain damages & relief.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDUnder Florida's medical-conscience law, a health care provider or payor could already ask the Attorney General to sue over a violation. Now, if the Attorney General doesn't sue within 180 days, the provider or payor can sue on their own.
That independent lawsuit can seek damages, an injunction, or other appropriate relief, including attorney fees, the same remedies the Attorney General could already pursue on the provider's behalf.
The same 180-day trigger also lets a provider or payor raise a medical-conscience violation as a defense in another legal or administrative proceeding, instead of only suing outright.
AIA health care provider or payor who filed a complaint with the Attorney General may now bring their own civil action for damages, injunctive relief, or other appropriate relief, including attorney fees.
AIThe provider or payor's own right to sue only activates if the Attorney General has not commenced a civil action within 180 days after the complaint was filed.
AIInstead of suing, a provider or payor may raise a violation of the medical-conscience statute as a defense in a separate judicial or administrative proceeding.