Your Voice Does Make a Difference
On Tuesday, Jan. 28, FCEP members met with over 50 legislators in Tallahassee to express our positions on key bills and health care issues.
We already know that one meeting made a huge difference—on the evening of Jan. 29, Representative Mariano filed an amendment to her original bill, HB 1103: Electronic Prescribing, which added back in exceptions to mandatory e-prescribing. The amendment specifically states that prescribers may issue written prescriptions to "patients of a hospital emergency department" ( lines 23-34 ). The Health and Human Services Committee voted to approve the amendment without objection on Jan. 30. Great work!

This is just one example of how important physician advocacy is. Never underestimate the power of your voice and a brief meeting with a legislator.
We Still Need Help Defeating Other Bills:
SB 714/HB 389: Testing for & Treatment of Influenza & Streptococcus (Sen. Hutson-R/Rep. Sirois-R)
Would allow pharmacists to perform physical exams or diagnosis, as well as test for and treat influenza and streptococcus. This steps beyond a pharmacist’s scope of practice and could lead to patient harm.
SB 378/HB 771: Motor Vehicle Insurance (Sen. Lee-R & Rep. Grall-R)
Would repeal Personal Injury Protection (PIP) auto insurance for Bodily Injury (BI), which will shift costs to consumers and the Florida Medicaid program, all to save auto-insurers money and give PIP lawyers incentive to sue.
HB 607: Health Care Practitioners Expansion of Scope (Rep. Pigman-R)
Would allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants to practice independently without a supervising physician. There is a lot of support for this bill in the House, and nurse practitioners—wearing their white lab coats—are heavily lobbying legislators in Tallahassee.
Join the Fight: Donate Now
FCEP's two political action committees (PACs)—Physicians for Emergency Care and Emergency Care for Florida—make up the largest and most influential emergency physician lobby in the state.

Please make a contribution to FCEP's PACs to support our efforts. Every dollar makes a difference.
Contributions to political action committees are not tax deductible.
We will continue to keep you updated through Florida Session.
Florida College of Emergency Physicians
A Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians