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HB 1185 2026
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hb1185-00
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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 health care services jurisdiction 2
and reimbursement; amending s. 48.193, F.S.; providing 3
that health insurance, health maintenance organization 4
coverage, health plan coverage, and travel insurance 5
providers are subject to the jurisdiction of the 6
courts of this state under certain circumstances; 7
defining the terms "emergency services" and "health 8
care providers"; creating ss. 627.4423 and 641.1853, 9
F.S.; providing legislative intent; providing 10
definitions; prohibiting health care providers from 11
collecting and attempting to collect from patients any 12
sums owed by insurers and health maintenance 13
organizations, respectively, for emergency services 14
rendered; providing applicability; authorizing 15
nonparticipating health care providers to pursue 16
causes of action for quantum meruit for a specified 17
purpose; providing construction; providing an 18
effective date. 19
20
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 21
22
Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 23
48.193, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 24
48.193 Acts subjecting person to jurisdiction of courts of 25
HB 1185 2026
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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
state.— 26
(1)(a) A person, whether or not a citizen or resident of 27
this state, who personally or through an agent does any of the 28
acts enumerated in this subsection thereby submits himself or 29
herself and, if he or she is a natural person, his or her 30
personal representative to the jurisdiction of the courts of 31
this state for any cause of action arising from any of the 32
following acts: 33
1. Operating, conducting, engaging in, or carrying on a 34
business or business venture in this state or having an office 35
or agency in this state. 36
2. Committing a tortious act within this state. 37
3. Owning, using, possessing, or holding a mortgage or 38
other lien on any real property within this state. 39
4. Contracting to insure a person, property, or risk 40
located within this state at the time of contracting. 41
5. With respect to a proceeding for alimony, child 42
support, or division of property in connection with an action to 43
dissolve a marriage or with respect to an independent action for 44
support of dependents, maintaining a matrimonial domicile in 45
this state at the time of the commencement of this action or, if 46
the defendant resided in this state preceding the commencement 47
of the action, whether cohabiting during that time or not. This 48
paragraph does not change the residency requirement for filing 49
an action for dissolution of marriage. 50
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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
6. Causing injury to persons or property within this state 51
arising out of an act or omission by the defendant outside this 52
state, if, at or about the time of the injury, either: 53
a. The defendant was engaged in solicitation or service 54
activities within this state; or 55
b. Products, materials, or things processed, serviced, or 56
manufactured by the defendant anywhere were used or consumed 57
within this state in the ordinary course of commerce, trade, or 58
use. 59
7. Breaching a contract in this state by failing to 60
perform acts required by the contract to be performed in this 61
state. 62
8. With respect to a proceeding for paternity, engaging in 63
the act of sexual intercourse within this state with respect to 64
which a child may have been conceived. 65
9. Entering into a contract that complies with s. 685.102. 66
10. Providing health insurance, health maintenance 67
organization coverage, health plan coverage, or travel insurance 68
to: 69
a. An employee living in this state; or 70
b. An insured patient receiving emergency services from a 71
health care provider licensed in this state. As used in this 72
sub-subparagraph, the term: 73
(I) "Emergency services" means services necessary to 74
prevent imminent risk to life or limb, according to the Prudent 75
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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
Layperson Standard. The term includes an emergency medical 76
condition as defined in s. 641.47. 77
(II) "Health care provider" includes, but is not limited 78
to, any of the following medical services provider if the 79
provider is licensed in this state: 80
(A) A physician. 81
(B) A health care facility or hospital. 82
(C) An urgent care center. 83
(D) A ground, water, or air ambulance. 84
Section 2. Section 627.4423, Florida Statutes, is created 85
to read: 86
627.4423 Reimbursement for emergency health care services 87
by health and life insurers.— 88
(1) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that 89
emergency health care services rendered by a nonparticipating 90
health care provider constitute a direct, significant, and 91
material benefit to a patient's insurer. 92
(2) As used in this section, the term: 93
(a) "Emergency services" means services necessary to 94
prevent imminent risk to life or limb, according to the Prudent 95
Layperson Standard. The term includes an emergency medical 96
condition as defined in s. 641.47. 97
(b) "Health care provider" includes, but is not limited 98
to, any of the following medical services provider if the 99
provider is licensed in this state: 100
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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. A physician. 101
2. A health care facility or hospital. 102
3. An urgent care center. 103
4. A ground, water, or air ambulance. 104
(c) "Nonparticipating health care provider" means a health 105
care provider that does not have an express contract with a 106
patient's insurer. 107
(3)(a) A health care provider may not collect or attempt 108
to collect from a patient any sum owed by the patient's insurer 109
for emergency services rendered to the patient. This paragraph 110
applies to any health or life insurer whose policyholder is seen 111
by a health care provider in this state, regardless of whether 112
the insurer is licensed to sell insurance policies in this 113
state. 114
(b) A nonparticipating health care provider may pursue in 115
court a cause of action for quantum meruit to recover from a 116
patient's insurer the reasonable value of emergency services 117
rendered to the patient. 118
(c) The remedies provided under paragraphs (a) and (b) are 119
cumulative and not exclusive. 120
(4) This section is not intended to regulate any price, 121
route, or service of an air ambulance service provider licensed 122
pursuant to s. 401.251. 123
Section 3. Section 641.1853, Florida Statutes, is created 124
to read: 125
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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
641.1853 Reimbursement for emergency services rendered by 126
nonparticipating health care providers.— 127
(1) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that 128
emergency health care services rendered by a nonparticipating 129
health care provider constitute a direct, significant, and 130
material benefit to a patient's health maintenance organization. 131
(2) As used in this section, the term: 132
(a) "Emergency services" means services necessary to 133
prevent imminent risk to life or limb, according to the Prudent 134
Layperson Standard. The term includes an emergency medical 135
condition. 136
(b) "Health care provider" includes, but is not limited 137
to, any of the following medical services provider if the 138
provider is licensed in this state: 139
1. A physician. 140
2. A health care facility or hospital. 141
3. An urgent care center. 142
4. A ground, water, or air ambulance. 143
(c) "Nonparticipating health care provider" means a health 144
care provider that does not have an express contract with a 145
patient's health maintenance organization. 146
(3)(a) A health care provider may not collect or attempt 147
to collect from a patient any sum owed by the patient's health 148
maintenance organization for emergency services rendered to the 149
patient. This paragraph applies to any health maintenance 150
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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
organization whose subscriber is seen by a health care provider 151
in this state, regardless of whether the health maintenance 152
organization is licensed to sell health maintenance contracts in 153
this state. 154
(b) A nonparticipating health care provider may pursue in 155
court a cause of action for quantum meruit to recover from a 156
patient's health maintenance organization the reasonable value 157
of emergency services rendered to the patient. 158
(c) The remedies provided under paragraphs (a) and (b) are 159
cumulative and not exclusive. 160
(4) This section is not intended to regulate any price, 161
route, or service of an air ambulance service provider licensed 162
pursuant to s. 401.251. 163
Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 164