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Florida Senate
-
2026
SB 1470
By
Senator Bernard
24-01110A-26 20261470__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to behavioral health intervention
3 services; creating s. 409.9206, F.S.; providing
4 legislative findings and purpose; defining terms;
5 authorizing, contingent upon an appropriation, the
6 state Medicaid plan to fund a demonstration pilot
7 program in a specified region for specified purposes;
8 authorizing Medicaid managed assistance providers to
9 offer specified intervention services to certain
10 participants under the pilot program; providing
11 requirements for the pilot program; requiring the
12 state Medicaid plan to prepare and submit a specified
13 report to the Legislature as soon as practicable after
14 the expiration of the pilot program; requiring the
15 state Medicaid plain to consider certain factors when
16 paying certain capitation rates; providing for future
17 expiration of the pilot program; providing an
18 effective date.
19
20 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22 Section 1. Section 409.9206, Florida Statutes, is created
23 to read:
24
409.9206
De-risking disease behavioral health intervention
25
services pilot program.—
26
(1)
LEGISLATIVE FINDING; PURPOSE.—
27
(a)
The Legislature finds that under federal Medicaid
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managed care regulations 42 C.F.R. s. 438.3(e)(2) and 42 C.F.R.
29
s. 438.16, the Agency for Health Care Administration may approve
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de-risking disease behavioral health intervention services.
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(b)
The purpose of this section is to authorize the state
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Medicaid plan to fund a demonstration pilot program that shall
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provide a de-risking disease behavioral health intervention
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services management plan to recipients of the state Medicaid
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plan in Region G, which consists of Indian River, Martin,
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Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie Counties.
37
(2)
DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
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(a)
“De-risking disease behavioral health intervention
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services” means the following set of five concurrent self
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management services and medical nutrition supports demonstrated
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in scientific research to improve behavioral health and chronic
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disease outcomes:
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1.
Behavioral health counseling provided by a licensed
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clinical social worker for lifestyle modifications for patients
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diagnosed with depression and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.
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2.
Medical nutrition therapy provided by a registered
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dietitian nutritionist for diet and lifestyle modifications for
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patients diagnosed with depression and uncontrolled diabetes
49
mellitus.
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3.
Biomarker health tracking, nudging, and reporting using
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devices approved by the Florida Medicaid Diabetic Supply
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Services Coverage Policy to monitor HbA1C, blood sugar glucose,
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oxygen, heart rate, lipids, weight, body mass index, blood
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pressure, and other biomarkers.
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4.
Medical disease nutrition education designed for
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depression and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus which is evidence
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based.
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5.
Medical nutrition supports that are evidence-based
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lifestyle modification services for patients diagnosed with
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depression and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, including, but
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not limited to, clinical nutrition groceries, home-delivered
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medically tailored meals, produce prescriptions, or other
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evidence-based, medically necessary nutrition interventions
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demonstrated to be cost effective by scientific research
65
studies.
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(b)
“Participant” means a Medicaid recipient and his or her
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family participating in the pilot program.
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(c)
“Pilot program” means the demonstration pilot program
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established under this section.
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(3)
PILOT PROGRAM.—Contingent upon an appropriation, the
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state Medicaid plan may fund a demonstration pilot program to
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provide
de-risking disease
behavioral health intervention
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services to eligible Medicaid recipients in Region G, which
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consists of Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and
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St. Lucie Counties.
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(a)
Under the pilot program, Medicaid managed assistance
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providers may offer de-risking disease behavioral health
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intervention services:
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1.
In lieu of services specified in the state Medicaid plan
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to a Medicaid recipient who is diagnosed with both:
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a.
Depression or anxiety; and
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b.
Diabetes mellitus, obesity, or coronary heart disease.
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2.
As a disease management plan to 1,000 participants in
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Region G.
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(b)
The design, evaluation, and outcome measures of the
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pilot program must be developed from a research evaluation
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conducted by nutrition scientists at the Tufts University
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Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, a qualified and
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accredited academic institution specializ
ing
in nutrition, and
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program implementation experts at the Florida Health and
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Nutrition Coalition.
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(c)
The pilot program shall:
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1.
Be designed to provide de-risking disease behavioral
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health intervention services, diabetic supply services, chronic
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disease self-management and education services, and medical
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nutrition supports coverage in lieu of services specified in the
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state Medicaid plan.
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2.
Collect data, including, but not limited to, the rate by
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which pilot program participants, and their families, comply
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with de-risking disease behavioral health intervention services;
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health outcomes and biomarkers associated with the participants
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and their families; and overall impact of the pilot program on
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participant diagnosis, chronic health condition, and disease
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symptoms.
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3.
Include measures to review and assess data, including
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health outcomes and biomarkers, and the impact on participants
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and their families to evaluate the overall impact of the pilot
108
program on disease management.
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(4)
ANNUAL REPORT.—The state Medicaid plan shall:
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(a)
As soon as practicable after the expiration of the
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pilot program, prepare and submit to the President of the Senate
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and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a report on the
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number of times during the preceding year the de-risking disease
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behavioral health intervention services were used in Indian
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River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie Counties, a
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summary of the data the state Medicaid plan collected, and
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recommendations for any legislative action.
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(b)
Consider the actual cost, measurable goals and health
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outcomes met, and participant adherence to the de-risking
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disease behavioral health intervention services when paying the
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capitation rates for that managed care organization under the
122
contract.
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(5)
EXPIRATION.—
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(a)
The pilot program shall expire August 31, 2030.
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(b)
This section expires September 1, 2031.
126 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.