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HB 977 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb977-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to benefits for obesity under the 2
state group health insurance plan; amending s. 3
110.12303, F.S.; requiring the Department of 4
Management Services to provide coverage for the 5
treatment and management of obesity for state group 6
health insurance policies issued after a specified 7
date; providing coverage criteria; requiring the 8
department to adopt eligibility criteria by a 9
specified date; providing definitions; providing 10
reporting requirements; providing an effective date. 11
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13
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Section 1. Subsection (9) is added to section 110.12303, 15
Florida Statutes, to read: 16
110.12303 State group insurance program; additional 17
benefits; price transparency program; reporting.— 18
(9)(a) For state group health insurance plan policies 19
issued on or after January 1, 2027, the department shall provide 20
coverage for evidence-based treatment and management of obesity 21
and related conditions, as prescribed by a professional health 22
care provider, for: 23
1. Intensive health behavioral and lifestyle treatment. 24
2. United States Food and Drug Administration-approved 25
HB 977 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb977-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
weight management medications. 26
(b) Coverage criteria for a United States Food and Drug 27
Administration-approved weight management medication may not be 28
more restrictive than the United States Food and Drug 29
Administration indications for such medication. Coverage for 30
intensive health behavioral and lifestyle treatment may include 31
interventions certified by or recognized by the United States 32
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or recommended by 33
current clinical standards of care. Services may be provided in 34
person, virtually, or in community-based settings to support 35
patient access and needs. 36
(c) Before January 1, 2027, the department shall adopt 37
eligibility criteria, which shall require patients to: 38
1. Be enrolled in a PPO or HMO plans. 39
2. Be 18 years of age or older. 40
3. Be referred and supervised by an in-network licensed 41
provider. 42
4. Consent to provide personal and medical information to 43
the department, including medical records documenting body mass 44
index and weight related comorbidities. 45
5. Have received a clinical diagnosis of obesity by an in-46
network licensed provider. 47
6. Participate in intensive health, behavioral, and 48
lifestyle intervention. 49
(d) As used in this subsection, the term: 50
HB 977 2026
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb977-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1. "United States Food and Drug Administration-approved 51
weight management medication" means any Glucagon-like peptide-1 52
agonist medication approved by the United States Food and Drug 53
Administration with an indication for chronic weight management 54
in patients with an obesity diagnosis. 55
2. "Intensive health behavioral and lifestyle treatment" 56
means an evidence-based, intensive, multicomponent behavioral or 57
lifestyle modification intervention that supports healthy weight 58
management and is delivered in person or through telehealth as 59
defined in s. 456.47(1). 60
(e) On or before January 15, 2028, and annually 61
thereafter, the department shall report to the Governor, the 62
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of 63
Representatives on the participation level and cost savings to 64
both the enrollee and the state resulting from this subsection. 65
Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 66