Back to Florida

SB1070 • 2026

State Group Insurance Program Coverage for Obesity Treatment

State Group Insurance Program Coverage for Obesity Treatment

Healthcare Labor
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Rodriguez
Last action
2026-03-13
Official status
Senate - Died in Governmental Oversight and Accountability
Effective date
2026-07-01

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's effective date is July 1, 2026, not January 1, 2027 as stated in the candidate explanation.

State Group Insurance Program Coverage for Obesity Treatment

This bill requires Florida's Department of Management Services to provide coverage for obesity treatment and management strategies in state group health insurance plans starting January 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Management Services to cover evidence-based treatments for obesity and related conditions in state group health insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2027.
  • Prohibits coverage criteria for weight management medications from being more restrictive than FDA-approved indications.
  • Specifies that employees must meet certain requirements such as age, enrollment status, medical diagnosis, and participation in intensive behavioral interventions to qualify for the treatment.
  • Requires the Department of Management Services to adopt protocols and criteria by January 1, 2027, for coverage eligibility.
  • Requires an annual report on participation levels and cost savings from implementing these treatments.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employees enrolled in state group health insurance plans or HMOs participating under this section.
  • Licensed providers who prescribe obesity treatment strategies.
  • The Department of Management Services, which will manage the implementation of coverage requirements.

Terms To Know

FDA-approved weight management medication
Any glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist medication approved by the FDA for chronic weight management in patients with an obesity diagnosis.
Intensive health behavioral and lifestyle intervention
An evidence-based, multicomponent behavioral or lifestyle modification intervention designed to support healthy weight management as recommended by current clinical standards of care.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact cost implications for the state.
  • It is unclear how many employees will qualify and participate in these treatment programs.
  • The effectiveness and long-term benefits of the covered treatments are not addressed by this legislation.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-13 Senate

    • Died in Governmental Oversight and Accountability

  2. 2026-01-13 Senate

    • Introduced

  3. 2026-01-12 Senate

    • Referred to Governmental Oversight and Accountability; Banking and Insurance; Appropriations

  4. 2026-01-05 Senate

    • Filed

Official Summary Text

State Group Insurance Program Coverage for Obesity Treatment; Requiring the Department of Management Services to provide coverage for specified strategies for the evidence-based treatment and management of obesity and related conditions for state group health insurance plan policies issued on or after a specified date; prohibiting coverage criteria for weight management medications from being more restrictive than the United States Food and Drug Administration’s indications for such medications, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026

SB 1070

By
Senator Rodriguez

40-00575B-26 20261070__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to state group insurance program
3 coverage for obesity treatment; amending s. 110.12303,
4 F.S.; requiring the Department of Management Services
5 to provide coverage for specified strategies for the
6 evidence-based treatment and management of obesity and
7 related conditions for state group health insurance
8 plan policies issued on or after a specified date;
9 prohibiting coverage criteria for weight management
10 medications from being more restrictive than the
11 United States Food and Drug Administration’s
12 indications for such medications; requiring the
13 department to adopt certain protocols and criteria by
14 a specified date; specifying such protocols and
15 criteria; defining terms; requiring the department to
16 submit a specified report to the Governor and
17 Legislature annually by a specified date; providing an
18 effective date.
19
20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22 Section 1. Subsection (9) is added to section 110.12303,
23 Florida Statutes, to read:
24 110.12303 State group insurance program; additional
25 benefits; price transparency program; reporting.—
26
(9)
(a)

For state group health insurance plan policies

27
issued on or after January 1, 2027, the department shall provide

28
coverage for all of the following evidence-based strategies for

29
the treatment and management of obesity and related conditions,

30
as prescribed by a licensed provider:

31
1.

Intensive health behavioral and lifestyle intervention.

32
2.

FDA-approved weight management medications.

33
(b)

Coverage criteria for FDA-approved weight management

34
medications may not be more restrictive than the United States

35
Food and Drug Administration-approved indications for such

36
medications. Coverage for intensive health behavioral and

37
lifestyle treatment may include interventions certified or

38
recognized by the United States Centers for Disease Control and

39
Prevention or recommended by current clinical standards of care.

40
Services may be provided in an office setting, through

41
telehealth, or in community-based settings to support patient

42
access and needs.

43
(c)

The department shall adopt protocols and criteria for

44
such coverage by January 1, 2027, which must include, but are

45
not limited to, that the employee:

46
1.

Is enrolled in one of the state group health insurance

47
plans or HMO plans participating under this section;

48
2.

Is 18 years of age or older;

49
3.

Was referred and is supervised by an in-network licensed

50
provider;

51
4.

Has consented to provide personal and medical

52
information to the department, including medical records

53
documenting body mass index or weight-related comorbidities;

54
5.

Has received a clinical diagnosis of obesity by an in

55
network licensed provider;

56
6.

Is required to participate in intensive health

57
behavioral and lifestyle intervention; and

58
7.

Meets any additional clinical and participation

59
requirements to manage the cost of coverage.

60
(d)

As used in this subsection, the term:

61
1.

“FDA-approved weight management medication” means any

62
glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist medication approved by

63
the United States Food and Drug Administration with an

64
indication for chronic weight management in patients with an

65
obesity diagnosis.

66
2.

“Intensive health behavioral and lifestyle intervention”

67
means an evidence-based, intensive, multicomponent behavioral or

68
lifestyle modification intervention designed to support healthy

69
weight management as recommended by current clinical standards

70
of care. Interventions include obesity screening, nutrition

71
assessment, nutrition diagnosis, nutrition intervention,

72
nutrition monitoring and evaluation, and behavioral counseling

73
and therapy aimed at weight loss through lifestyle

74
modifications, such as changes in diet and increased physical

75
activity. Interventions may be provided in office, through

76
telehealth, or in community-based settings to support patient

77
access and needs. Therapy for obesity must be delivered in

78
accordance with applicable national clinical standards of care,

79
using evidence-based behavioral counseling frameworks.

80
(e)

By January 15 of each year, the department shall submit

81
a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the

82
Speaker of the House of Representatives. The report must include

83
the participation level and cost savings to both the enrollee

84
and the state resulting from implementation of this subsection.

85 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.