The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation released an informational memorandum on Friday to all health insurers and managed care organizations authorized to do business in Florida to provide guidance regarding new disclosure requirements related to HB 701.

The bill requires health insurers and managed care organizations to:

• Post a description of the federal and state requirements for coverage of behavioral health care services to their website as well as contact information and a hyperlink to the Department of Financial Services (DFS) Division of Consumer Services for the submission of inquiries or complaints relating to health insurer products or services regulated by the department or the office; and
• Annually provide a direct notice to consumers, which must include a description of the federal and state requirements for coverage of behavioral health care services and the website address and statewide toll-free telephone number for the DFS Division of Consumer Services. Additional details here: https://www.floir.com/siteDocuments/OIR-21-01M.pdf.

As additional legislation from the 2021 Florida legislative session continues to go into effect, we recommend closely monitoring regulatory agencies’ action to ensure compliance.

Further, the 2022 legislative session season is in full swing, with legislators in town this week for committees. We recommend a quick briefing with our insurance regulatory and legislative affairs team to ensure that you have appropriate coverage for bill tracking, advocacy efforts, and real-time alerts.