(SB 1762) This legislation
authorized certain counties to levy an additional sales surtax
to fund trauma care upon voter referendum. It also requires the
Florida Department of Health to complete an assessment of the
state trauma system and report back to the Governor and
Legislature on its findings by February 2005. The bills makes a
one-time appropriation to each trauma facility from the
administrative trust fund of $1 million for each existing Level
I trauma center and $700,000 for each Level I trauma center
applicant pending with DOH by April 1, 2004.
Specifically, the bill:
Appropriates $300,000 for DOH to contract with a state
university to conduct a study of the state trauma system to
determine whether the current system is effective in providing
trauma care uniformly. The study will also:o Review and
establish criteria for determining the number and need of trauma
centers to serve a population within a regiono Study the
feasibility of integrating the state trauma plan with domestic
security planningo Make recommendations regarding a continuing
funding sourceo Address incentives to encourage facilities to
become designated as trauma centers
Defines “charity care” or “uncompensated trauma care” to not
include any monies provided by local governments or taxing
districts for the purpose of providing charity care, and raises
the family income level to fit the definition of charity care to
200 percent of the federal poverty level
Establishes trauma regional boundaries that are contiguous with
the regional domestic security task force boundaries
Requires the DOH to adopt policies and procedures for the
process of notification, duration and explanation of the
termination of trauma services by a facility.
