House Health Care Regulation Committee takes up bill to revamp Department of Health

Three weeks down in the 2010 legislative session and usually by now, we are in a routine of what committees are meeting when, allowing us to actually plan some sort of schedule. But in looking at the calendar for the upcoming week, something important for Sunday afternoons, that routine is all shook up.

On Monday, the House Health Care Regulation Committee will discuss a proposed bill to totally revamp the Department of Health. There's lots of reasons, and probably politics behind it, but the important part for nursing homes is that it removes all DOH regulatory and inspection duties from any facility licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration.

Could this really be happening? Might this legislation pass in 2010? There is lots of duplication between DOH and AHCA in regards to nursing homes, so FHCA will be watching and supporting this bill. Look for more later.