Three health care reforms passed by the Legislature and OK’d by Gov. Ron DeSantis are going into effect Jan. 1. Two focus on people. The third affects how people care for their furry friends.

Let’s look at what each will do.

SB 188: Coverage for Diagnostic and Supplemental Breast Examinations

The first measure (SB 188) eliminates additional copayments, deductibles and other cost-sharing requirements for state employees’ diagnostic and supplemental breast examinations. It’s the product of a yearslong effort by Boynton Beach Sen. Lori Berman, a breast cancer survivor, and Hollywood Rep. Marie Woodson to save more lives through early detection of the disease.

Florida already has free mammograms for state workers. But in cases where an abnormality is detected or the patient has a family history of breast cancer, mammograms are merely the first step. Doctors must then perform diagnostic and supplemental examinations, including MRIs and ultrasounds, to determine the need for a biopsy and additional measures.

Those can cost as much as $1,000, a price point that Berman said has deterred people from seeking treatment.

“People delay, and we know that when breast cancer diagnoses are delayed, it leads to worse outcomes,” she said during one of the bill’s committee stops in March. “This bill will save lives.”

Approximately 23,160 women in Florida received breast cancer diagnoses in 2024, and 3,160 died of the disease, according to the American Cancer Society, which found that about 12% of women screened with modern mammography require follow-up imaging or biopsy. But alarmingly, 1 in 5 patients have been likely to forgo recommended follow-ups if they must pay a deductible, the nonprofit Susan G. Komen found.

For workers on the state group insurance program, at least, that will be a thing of the past thanks to SB 188, which received uniform support in both chambers of the Legislature.

SB 1808: Refund of Overpayments Made by Patients

SB 1808 by Winter Haven Sen. Colleen Burton and St. Augustine Rep. Sam Greco, which also passed without a single “no” vote, will speed up refunds when health care providers charge more than they should.

The measure requires facilities and practitioners to issue refunds within 30 days once an overpayment is identified, with exclusions for overpayments already governed by existing insurance statutes.

Facilities that fail to comply face $500-per-violation penalties from the Agency for Health Care Administration, while practitioners may face disciplinary action from the Department of Health.

According to a Senate analysis of the measure, SB 1808 addresses a gap in Florida law that allowed patient overpayments to go unreturned for extended periods. While common law generally requires refunds, no statutory deadline previously existed.

HB 655: Pet Insurance and Wellness Programs

In short, HB 655 by St. Petersburg Sen. Nick DiCeglie and Lake Placid Rep. Kaylee Tuck strengthens pet insurance regulation by classifying it as property insurance, with stronger consumer protections.

Under the law, pet insurance companies must clearly explain how claims are reviewed and paid, including how they decide whether a condition is covered. They must also disclose any waiting periods, exclusions or requirements for medical exams.

Insurers can still deny coverage for preexisting conditions, but they must prove the condition existed before the policy began. Waiting periods may apply for illness, but not for accidents.

After buying a policy, customers have 30 days to review it and cancel for a full refund if they’re not satisfied. Insurers, in turn, may request a pet exam after a policy starts, but they cannot require one to renew coverage.

The law also cracks down on misleading marketing. Pet wellness programs cannot be advertised as insurance, and insurers are prohibited from forcing customers to buy wellness plans to get coverage.

Like SB 188 and SB 1808, HB 655 cleared both chamber floors with unanimous approval. A Senate bill analysis found that increased transparency under HB 655 will “provide consumers with greater information to use in comparing the costs of premiums and benefits of various pet insurance policies,” which “may reduce the out-of-pocket costs” they incur for unexpected medical emergencies.

___

Gabrielle Russon and Janelle Irwin Taylor of Florida Politics contributed to this report.