This afternoon, Gov. DeSantis signed three bills into law, which take effect July 1, 2024.  The press conference was held at the Jack Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

The Governor noted that the budget contains $232 million in funding for cancer initiatives, including $60 million for the Cancer Innovation Fund and $127.5 million for the Casey DeSantis Cancer Research Program.  In his remarks, the Governor said the state should divert more funding to places like the Nicklaus Center which is the purpose of the Cancer Innovation Fund.  DeSantis also noted that they may “tweak the Casey DeSantis Fund” to allow those funds to flow to other institutions.  The summary of the bills signed into law today are below:

Also note that the Governor appointed AHCA Secretary Weida to the Cancer Connect Collaborative.

Department of Health | SB 1582 by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Doral) is a Department of Health (DOH) legislative proposal that contains many health-related provisions. Of particular interest to BioFlorida members are the following provisions:

• Creates the Andrew John Anderson Pediatric Rare Disease Grant Program to advance research and cures for rare pediatric diseases by awarding grants through a competitive process. (30 applications for this funding have already been submitted.)
• Allows parents or guardians of newborns who have been identified as having sickle cell disease or carrying the sickle cell trait to opt out of the state’s sickle cell registry.
• Adds a representative of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville to the Florida Cancer Control and Research Advisory Council.

Cancer Funding | SB 7072 by Sen. Gayle Harrell (R-Stuart) expands the role of the Casey DeSantis Program to include promoting high-quality, innovative health care for cancer patients in Florida. The bills require the Department of Health (DOH) to make cancer innovation grant funding available through the Cancer Connect Collaborative (Collaborative) to healthcare providers and facilities demonstrating excellence in patient-centered cancer treatment or research. The bill also:

• Codifies the Collaborative in statute and charges it with advising the DOH and the Legislature on developing a holistic approach to efforts to fund cancer research, cancer facilities, and treatments for cancer patients. The Collaborative also is:

• Charged with recommending to the DOH grant awards to support innovative cancer research and treatment models, including emerging research and treatment trends and promising treatments.
• Authorized to make recommendations on proposed legislation, rules, best practices, data collection and reporting, and grant fund issuance.
• Required to develop a long-range comprehensive plan for the Casey DeSantis Program by soliciting input from cancer centers, research institutions, biomedical education institutions, hospitals, and medical providers.
• Directed to prioritize applications seeking to expand innovative cancer treatment models into underserved areas of the state.

• Requires the Collaborative to develop a long-range comprehensive plan for the Casey DeSantis Program. The Collaborative must solicit input from cancer centers, research institutions, biomedical education institutions, hospitals, and medical providers. The plan must be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature no later than December 1, 2024. The plan must include, but need not be limited to, the following components:
  • Expansion of grant funding opportunities to include a broader pool of Florida-based cancer centers, research institutions, biomedical education institutions, hospitals, and medical providers to receive funding through the Cancer Innovation Fund.
  • An evaluation to determine metrics that focus on patient outcomes, quality of care, and efficacy of treatment.
  • A compilation of best practices relating to cancer research or treatment.

• Beginning July 1, 2024, increases requirements on the DOH allocation agreements for cancer payment to cancer centers to include:

A line-item budget narrative documenting the annual fund allocation to a cancer center.

A cap of administrative expenses at 15% of the annual award.

Quarterly reports of all expenditures made by cancer centers with funds received through the Casey DeSantis Program.

DOH audit authority of all financial records and any other documents pertinent to the allocation agreement.

Annually report on outcome data and protocols used in achieving outcomes.

 The Governor made three appointments to the Cancer Connect Collaborative, including AHCA Secretary Jason Weida

Biomarker Testing Coverage | HB 885 by Rep. Karen Gonzalez-Pittman (R-Tampa) requires the state group health insurance program and the Medicaid program to cover biomarker testing when evidence supports its clinical use for enrollees. The bill also establishes criteria for supporting evidence, such as FDA approvals, national coverage determinations, and nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines. The bill also:

• Requires recipients or insureds and healthcare providers to have access to a process for requesting testing authorization through an insurer or plan’s website;
• Specifies that coverage is not required for biomarker testing used for screening purposes.
• Allows the Agency for Health Care Administration to seek federal approval to implement biomarker testing coverage under Medicaid.
• Requires managed care plans to provide biomarker testing coverage at par with other medically necessary treatments under Medicaid.
• Directs the inclusion of rate impacts due to biomarker testing coverage in Medicaid program rates.

The Governor signed the bill on 6/18/24 and will take effect on 7/1/24.