Legislative Update - July 28, 2023

We have a sales tax holiday happening this week.  Another tropical disturbance is off the Florida coast.  Temperatures off Florida’s coast is the same as the hot tub at your hotel.

The Governor is back on the campaign trail and even made a stop at the American Legislative Exchange Conference (ALEC) in Orlando.  Although his driver was involved in a traffic accident in Tennessee, no one was seriously injured.  Staff cuts were made as his numbers are slipping in the polls.

Florida’s unemployment rate remains low.  State Farm Insurance is staying in Florida, at least for now.  Gas prices are increasing. 

Special Elections qualifying dates have been sent for HD 35 and HB 118. And Democrats are trying recruit more voters, especially younger ones.

TAX HOLIDAY STARTS -  A back-to-school tax “holiday” started last weekend.  Shoppers able to avoid paying sales taxes on items such as clothes, school supplies and personal computers. The holiday will end on Aug. 6.

National Hurricane Center tracking system east of Florida. Residents urged to be prepared -  A tropical disturbance east of Florida continues to have a low chance for development but officials are advising residents to take precautions and be prepared. "Some models do track this disturbance toward the east coast of Florida later on this week," according to the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network. More from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

As much of the country stewed in bubbling heat , a buoy measuring water temperature in Florida registered a jaw-dropping 101.1 degrees Fahrenheit in Manatee Bay, NBC News reports. 

Governor …

“Ron DeSantis uninjured after car accident in Tennessee, campaign says ” via Amy Wang of The Washington Post — “This morning, the Governor was in a car accident while traveling to an event in Chattanooga, Tennessee,” DeSantis campaign representative Bryan Griffin  said in a statement. “He and his team are uninjured.”

“DeSantis lets go of more than 1/3 of campaign staff as reset continues ” via Alex Isenstadt of POLITICO — The cuts will amount to a total of 38 jobs shed across an array of departments. They will include the roughly 10 event planning positions that were announced several weeks ago, in addition to the recent departures of two senior DeSantis campaign advisers, Dave Abrams and Tucker Obenshain. The expanded cuts are the latest sign that the Florida Governor’s team is pivoting to a slim-down operation amid concerns over their finances. The campaign announced it had raised $20 million during the second quarter of this year. But it had spent a good chunk of that money. Much of the sum it raised, moreover, came from donors who had given the maximum amount and could not give again.

DeSantis: No Room for Disagreement Within GOP on Florida Racial History Teaching Standards - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday said Republicans can't disagree with Florida education officials' interpretation of racial history or the experience of slavery, hitting back at criticism from within the party on controversial new standards for teaching about the Black experience. The governor's remarks in defense of the standards came after the state's only Black Republican congressman, Rep. Byron Donalds, said he agreed with most of the new guidelines but suggested a section that discusses the "benefits" of slavery for slaves should be rejected. "At the end of the day you've got to choose," DeSantis said when asked about Donalds' position. "Are you going to side with (Vice President) Kamala Harris and liberal media outlets or are you going to side with the state of Florida?" While facing criticism from civil rights leaders and Democrats on the issue, DeSantis this week continued to defend the new standards. "I think it's very clear that these guys did a good job on those standards. It wasn't anything that was politically motivated," DeSantis said.  Politico  / Associated Press

Aides for Gov. Ron DeSantis traded barbs this week with Rep. Byron Donalds, the state’s only Black Republican in Congress, over Florida’s new educational standards for African American history,  Fox News reports . 

Business …

State Unemployment Rate Remains Low, in Line with Much of Nation - Florida's unemployment rate was flat at a low 2.6%  for a sixth straight month in June, about a percentage point below the national rate and the lowest of the ten largest states, the state Department of Commerce announced late last week. The state's low jobless rate is part of a general national trend across the country, according to the U.S. Bureau Labor of Statistics . The professional and business services sectors gained the most jobs in Florida among all major industries in June 2023, adding 4,800 jobs over the month, followed by construction, adding 4,000 jobs and information, adding 2,900 jobs. Florida Commerce Press Release  / Florida Commerce June Unemployment Figures

Renner: Property Insurance Crisis May Take Years to Stabilize - House Speaker Paul Renner  said it might take some time for Florida's property insurance market to cool down during an interview that aired Sunday on WJXT's  "This Week in Jacksonville ." He highlighted recent legislative changes to address litigation practices driven by unscrupulous contractors, which influenced some insurers' decisions to leave the state with significant losses. "It took years to get in the ditch and it will take a couple of years to get out of it," said Renner. Although the reforms have not yet had a direct impact on consumers, Renner mentioned that new insurers are entering the market. He also talked about the need to scale down policies covered by state-backed Citizens Property Insurance, the state's insurer of last resort. "If you can't get anywhere else, you go to this government-run Citizens program," Renner added. "And we have a real big number of folks that are on Citizens ... We've got to depopulate that." Earlier this month, Gov. Ron DeSantis said insurance companies are "going to wait through this hurricane season" before they deploy more capital to Florida. The governor's comments came after Farmers Insurance announced it was planning to drop about 100,000 policies  in the state. Florida Politics

Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There Still in Fla - State Farm is there. At least for now, in Florida. State Farm is once again Florida's largest private market insurer and the second-largest overall, which is good news amid the state's recent insurance market challenges. The company's growth is attributed to a 5.3% increase in personal residential policies during the first quarter of 2023. In contrast, Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company, the previous No. 2 insurer in the state, lost 7% of its policies during the same period. State Farm also expressed its plans to remain in Florida and work with officials to improve the marketplace. Previously, the company stopped releasing policy data but resumed after legislative reforms were implemented following a special legislative session on property insurance last year. The large insurers' growth comes as other private-market insurers struggle, and state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corporation swells to 1.3 million policies and counting.  Sun Sentinel

Gas Prices Up - Amid speculation that blazing heat could be affecting travel in some parts of the country, average gasoline prices in Florida increased 7 cents during the past week. The AAA auto club on Monday said the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Florida was $3.47, up from $3.40 a week earlier. The highest prices were in the West Palm Beach, Naples and Gainesville areas, while the lowest were in the Panhandle. Florida’s average was lower than the national mark of $3.60 a gallon. “Gas demand barely budged from last week, yet compared to this time in 2022, it is higher nationwide except for the Gulf Coast, Texas and New Mexico,“ AAA spokesman Andrew Gross said in a prepared statement. “Some industry experts speculate that scorching temps in that region are keeping people off the road.” Florida’s average price was 11 cents higher than a month earlier but 63 cents lower than a year ago.

USCIS announces new Form I-9, will allow permanent remote review for E-Verify users

https://www.hrdive.com/news/new-form-i-9-permanent-remote-review-e-verify-ice-dhs/688652/?:%20HR%20Dive:%20Daily%20Dive%2007-22-2023

Immigration law draws legal challenge:  Migrant workers and advocates on Monday filed a federal lawsuit challenging part of a new Florida law that makes it a felony to transport into the state people who enter the country illegally, arguing the law is vague and will lead to “unlawful arrest, prosecution and harassment.”

Courts …

A May U.S. Supreme Court ruling on wetlands protections has some environmentalists concerned about the future of Clean Water Act protections, but state regulators and officials in the Tampa Bay area say current practices should continue to protect the area's waters .Tampa Bay Times

Elections …

Special Election Qualifying Set  - The state has scheduled a qualifying period on Aug. 9 and Aug. 10 for candidates in special elections for House seats vacated by former Rep. Fred Hawkins, R-St. Cloud, and former Rep. Juan Alfonso Fernandez-Barquin, R-Miami-Dade County. The qualifying period will start at 8 a.m. Aug. 9 and end at noon Aug. 10, according to documents posted on the state Division of Elections website. As of Wednesday morning, four candidates had formally entered the special election to replace Hawkins in House District 35 in Orange and Osceola counties. They are Republicans Erika Booth, Ken Davenport and Scott Alan Moore and Democrat Marucci Guzman. Two other Democrats, Rishi Bagga and Tom Keen, were listed on the state website as having campaign accounts open to run in the November 2024 election for the seat. They can shift the accounts to run in the special election. The special primary election in District 35 is scheduled Nov. 7, with a special general election on Jan. 16. Meanwhile, the special primary to succeed Fernandez-Barquin in Miami-Dade’s House District 118 is scheduled Oct. 3, with a general election on Dec. 5. Republicans Christian Chavez and Michael Redondo were listed on the state website as having campaign accounts open to run in November 2024 in District 118. The seats opened when Hawkins was named president of South Florida State College and Fernandez-Barquin was appointed Miami-Dade County clerk of court and comptroller.

Marijuana initiative estimated to generate between $200M and $430M -  The Florida Financial Impact Estimating Conference released a report on July 13 finding that approval of the marijuana initiative would generate between $195.6 million and $431.3 million in annual state and local revenue if approved by voters. The initiative would legalize marijuana for adults 21 years old and older. Individuals would be allowed to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana (about 85 grams), with up to 5 grams in the form of concentrate. More from the Center Square.

Gov. Ron DeSantis made staff changes in his presidential campaign, promoting Ethan Eilon to deputy campaign manager in an effort to improve his White House bid.  Eilon was previously the campaign's digital director. The move follows the recent firings of multiple mid-level staffers amid campaign financial struggles. DeSantis faces mounting pressure from donors as his polling numbers decline. Generra Peck will continue in her role as campaign manager for now . Bloomberg

Campaign reset:  Facing a stubbornly persistent polling gap with his chief rival, former President Donald Trump, and early signs of financial trouble within his presidential operation, DeSantis’ rebooted his campaign last week, dismissing several staffers, including two top advisers who left to work for the political committee supporting DeSantis’ presidential bid.

With Gov. Ron DeSantis term-limited out in 2026 and his presidential campaign struggling, here are the potential early frontrunners to be Florida’s next governor, the USA Today Network-Florida reports.

Trump, DeSantis, Tim Scott, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley and Chris Christie all appear to have met the qualifications to attend the first GOP primary debate next month, but former Vice President Mike Pence has not, ABC News reports . 

Some Voters Have to Request New Mail Ballots - Voters who requested mail-in ballots in 2022 or earlier have to make their requests again to vote by mail in the 2024 election under legislation in 2021, leaving Democrats saying they're trying to track down mail-in voters who may not know about the change. Florida Democrats say the change disproportionately affects their voters, who have used mail-in voting more than Republicans since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump alleged mail-in voting was plagued by fraud. Local election officials are also sending out messages by mail and text reminding voters of the change, but in the six months since the ballot requests were canceled, less than a third of voters in three large counties have taken steps to request mail ballots again.  NBC News

Florida Democrats and Republicans both seek young voters. How will they win them over in 2024?

Democrat Jayden D'Onofrio, 18, is in the political arena to honor his late mother. Republican Brianna Reeves, 27, said that when politics becomes personal is when people get engaged. Different viewpoints, different sets of motives but for the political parties looking to appeal, engage and mobilize millions of young voters like D'Onofrio and Reeves in Florida there is one goal — win them over. [Source: Gainesville Sun]

Health Related Articles

Saying unions are starting to get hit financially, teachers unions are again asking a federal judge to block part of a new state law that prevents dues from being deducted from workers’ paychecks, the News Service of Florida reports. 

After a decade-long legal fight, a  federal judge ordered Florida to make changes to keep children with “complex” medical conditions out of nursing homes and help them receive care in their family homes or communities, the News Service of Florida reports

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a spike in alcohol-related liver disease deaths in Florida and nationwide. Alcohol sales increased significantly during the pandemic, and as a result, death rates associated with liver disease also rose. The increased alcohol consumption can be attributed to various factors, including stress, loss of jobs, decreased social interactions and difficulty accessing mental health services. Florida's early reopening and economic inflation may have contributed to higher alcohol usage. The pandemic exacerbated the existing issue of rising alcohol-related deaths, particularly marked by liver disease. Transgender women were found to have experienced a significant increase in dangerous alcohol consumption during this time. But more research is needed to understand the impact on different populations and the complex relationship between COVID-19, alcohol and liver disease deaths . WMFE

UF Health in Gainesville has launched Florida's first mobile stroke treatment unit, designed to provide critical care to stroke victims while being transported to the nearest treatment center.  The unit is equipped with a diagnostic CT scanner, clot-busting drugs and other essential medications. Studies have shown that patients transported in mobile stroke units receive clot-busting procedures faster than standard ambulances, potentially saving millions of neurons per patient. UF Health plans to deploy additional units in The Villages and Jacksonville to further improve stroke care in the region .WUFT

“FAMU's School of Nursing dean resigns from university, interim dean is appointed ” via Tarah Jean of the Tallahassee Democrat — Florida A&M University’s School of Nursing dean and professor Shelley Johnson has resigned from the university — a decision that was made effective last Wednesday. Her resignation comes after serving for three years as she led Florida’s oldest undergraduate nursing degree program on FAMU’s campus while it struggles to increase its annual licensure passage rates. The university’s Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs  Allyson Watson appointed Lisa Gardner, associate dean of graduate programs, to be the nursing school's interim dean in the meantime as a national search will be held during the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year for a permanent replacement.

State Regulators Enforcing 'Prescription Drug Reform Act' - The state is moving forward with the implementation of a new law aimed at lowering prescription drug costs by regulating pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, and promoting accountability and transparency in the pharmaceutical industry. The Office of Insurance Regulation notified managers Wednesday about the recent changes and the rule-making process related to the law, which was a top priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis during the 2023 legislative session. Last week, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation published emergency rules ( 61ER23-1, 61ER23-2 ) clarifying annual drug price increase reporting requirements. The new law, passed as SB 1550  and called the "Prescription Drug Reform Act," requires drug makers to notify the state of increases in drug prices, including when the cost of a $100 drug increases by 15% or more in a year or by 30% or more over three years. It also includes registration requirements for pharmacy benefit managers to become fully regulated as insurance administrators, with a fine of $10,000 per day for non-compliance starting on Jan. 1. PBMs must also adhere to new transparency requirements, filing statements on their financial condition, changes in ownership interests, and reports on appeals and denials by pharmacies and pharmacists related to drug cost and reimbursements. Such reports are required to be filed every 90 days. Biennial exams for PBMs will begin in January 2025, and any law violations will be regularly reported to the governor and Legislature by regulators. PBMs are third-party administrators that negotiate with drug companies and set up pharmacy networks for health plans. OIR Information Memorandum

State Quietly Awards Health Plan Contracts, Receives Pushback - The Florida Department of Management Services awarded contracts for state health plans, but excluded two providers, one with a long-standing not-for-profit plan. The agency opted for large out-of-state companies, making the decision behind closed doors.  AvMed, a Florida-based company with 50 years of experience that previously provided services to state employees for 40 years, was left out of the contracts in all the regions in which it applied to administer health-maintenance organization (HMO) and preferred-provider organization (PPO) plans for state workers, dependents and retirees. Aetna received some HMO services but not all it requested, and it wasn't chosen for a PPO contract. As a result, both companies have filed lawsuits and state employees may now be required to switch their health insurance provider. AvMed claims the negotiations violated open government laws because some discussions were held in private. It is seeking to halt the state's progress with the HMO contract decision. The state chose contracts with Florida Blue, Aetna, UnitedHealthCare and Capital Health Plan, but some of the companies have had past issues. Aetna is facing a  lawsuit for mishandling sensitive data and improper payment of claims. It was also accused of misrepresenting its network  in securing a Medicaid contract. United faced a class action suit  for misleading advertising regarding its health care provider network. Florida Politics  / News Service Florida

Florida TaxWatch Suggests Medicaid Expansion as Redeterminations Continue - Interest group  Florida TaxWatch recently released a report  examining the state's Medicaid redetermination plan, offering options to address the coverage gap. The report suggests states that have expanded Medicaid have observed improved health care access and quality, but highlighted that this approach comes with high costs and economic risks, including an increase in federal debt. The organization also recommended a more "non-traditional" approach to expanding coverage, which includes relying more heavily on the private insurance market and emphasizing higher enrollee cost-sharing, personal responsibility and healthy behaviors. Another option offered involves expanding eligibility criteria for other programs, which the state acted on during this year’s legislative session. Earlier this year, lawmakers agreed on broadening eligibility requirements for programs paid for by the federal Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. The bill (HB 121 ), which received bipartisan support in both chambers and will take effect Jan. 1, expands the income eligibility threshold for programs including Florida KidCare and Florida Healthy Kids from 215% to 300% of the federal poverty level, or $64,500 to $90,000 for a family of four. Florida TaxWatch Press Release

Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez and Elder Affairs Secretary Michelle Branham highlighted recent state funding for Alzheimer's and dementia care in Florida.  The state budget (SB 2500), which took effect July 1, included an additional $12.5 million for the state's 17 Memory Disorder Clinics and the Alzheimer's Disease Initiative, as well as $500,000 to support the Alzheimer's Association's Brain Bus. Additionally, the DeSantis administration created the Five Point Dementia Action Plan last June and established the Florida Alzheimer's Center of Excellence (FACE). FACE received over $1 million in state funding to expand its services this upcoming fiscal year. Around 580,000 Floridians aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's disease, with around 827,000 residents serving as family caregivers . DeSantis Press Release

Local officials issued a health advisory in St. Johns County following a single confirmed human case of mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis.  Earlier this week, a seventh locally acquired case of malaria was reported in Sarasota County that was also transmitted by mosquitoes. Officials urge residents to use an insect repellant with DEET, wear protective clothing, remove standing water, avoid mosquito-prone areas, and stay inside between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active .DOH Press Release

Florida's Gender-Related Medical Care Ban May Become Class-Action Lawsuit - Plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging Florida's ban on gender-related medical care for minors intend to expand the suit to include restrictions on care for adults and to seek class-action status. The amended complaint includes four adults facing disruptions in medical care due to a new law, passed this year as  SB 254, that bans advanced practice registered nurses from treating transgender patients and prohibits the use of telehealth for care. Last month, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle struck down the state law and agency rules that barred Florida from using Medicaid funding to cover gender-related medical care, finding they violated federal health care laws and the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. He also issued a temporary injunction, blocking the ban on gender-related medical care for minors. Both rulings only apply to medicines that treat gender dysphoria, not gender-related surgeries, and only affect the group of minors whose parents filed the lawsuits while the legal battles continue. The state has since appealed the decision to the 11th District Court of Appeal in Atlanta. Both sides are preparing for a two-day trial scheduled for Oct. 30.  Florida Politics

 StudyShows Higher COVID Death Rate Among Republicans in Ohio, Florida -  Yale University researchers found that registered Republicans in Florida and Ohio experienced a "significantly higher" rate of excess deaths compared to Democrats in the months following the federal COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Registered Republicans in the two states had a 43% higher excess death rate than Democratic voters, researchers found. The study suggests differences in vaccination attitudes and uptake between Republicans and Democrats may have influenced the severity and trajectory of the pandemic. The excess death rate gap widened after vaccines were available to all adults, with the difference concentrated in counties with lower vaccination rates. Researchers noted shortcomings in their study, including not examining causes of death or individual vaccination status, and only looking at data from Ohio and Florida. The research was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine  on Monday. Axios  / Business Insider  / New York Times

The number of Florida abortions in the first half of 2023 rose by about 5,000 to more than 38,000 total over the first half of last year, according to the state Agency for Health Care Administration .Pensacola News Journal

Moffitt Cancer Center is opening a $400 million, 128-bed inpatient surgical hospital in Tampa on July 31.  The 10-story, 500,000-square-foot facility will focus on treating solid tumors that require surgery and includes advanced features like real-time MRI imaging during operations. This feature allows surgeons to assess if they have removed the entire tumor without the need to move the patient. Construction began three years ago, anticipating a rise in cancer patients and surgeries over the next decade. The new hospital boasts 19 operating rooms and patient-centric amenities. The facility is connected to the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Outpatient Center and has the potential to expand if needed in the future .WUSF

“Tampa General to buy three local hospitals from Tennessee company ” via Shauna Muckle of the Tampa Bay Times — Tampa General Hospital has agreed to buy three Bravera Health hospitals north of Tampa for $290 million. The sale was announced by Community Health Services, the current owner of the three hospitals in Brooksville, Crystal River and Spring Hill. Once the sale closes, the Franklin, Tennessee-based company will no longer have any hospitals or clinics in Tampa Bay, leaving the operator with seven hospitals in the Panhandle, Southwest Florida and the Keys. In 2020, CHS sold St. Petersburg’s embattled Bayfront Health to Orlando Health. Since 2016, CHS has been shedding hospitals to focus on regional hubs, per a 2018 report from Healthcare Dive. The health care giant, which owns or leases 77 hospitals across 15 states, reported a $51 million net loss attributable to shareholders for the first quarter of 2023.

Tampa General Hospital said more than 1 million patients and staff members were affected by a data breach at the hospital earlier this year that lasted 18 days, hackers gaining access to personal information,  WFLA News Channel 8 reports .

How Will Florida's Opioid Settlement Money Be Spent? -  Florida will receive about $3.2 billion over the next 18 years from a settlement with opioid makers that is intended to help blunt the impacts of its use on the state. Here's how it will be spent. Tampa Bay Times

Florida is receiving a $120 million State Opioid Response Grant to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic.  The funding will be used to purchase opioid antagonists like naloxone, and address other unmet treatment needs. The rise of powerful synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, has led to the need for more potent overdose-reversing drugs. A recent study shows that an 8 mg naloxone nasal spray is now an effective dose more often than the standard 4 mg. For the first time, the federal government is allowing states to purchase the more powerful FDA-approved naloxone nasal spray, Kloxxado, with 8 mg of naloxone. The Florida Department of Children and Families is expected to update plans to implement the more potent opioid antagonist to combat the effects of powerful illicit drugs . Florida Politics

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is canceling its $98 million contract with Armor Correctional Health Services and switching to a $110 million contract with NaphCare for health care services at the Duval County jail.  The change comes after a former inmate's death and amid lawsuits and issues with both providers. The sheriff and mayor believe the new contract with NaphCare will better safeguard the community and inmates. But concerns remain about the quality of care provided by private medical providers in jails, and some advocate for considering in-house health care services as an alternative. According to The Tributary, Jacksonville's jail death rate tripled after the city privatized medical care, with many behind bars going without their regular prescriptions while in custody . WJCT  / The Tributary  

An August report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention details a case of leprosy, or Hansen's disease, in Central Florida saying it originated there.  The report also says the number of leprosy cases in the Southeastern United States has doubled over the last decade, with Florida as one of the top reporting states. The total number of new cases is relatively small, with 15 in Florida this year. But the report submitted to the CDC says eight infected individuals acquired the disease locally, not overseas. About 95% of all people are naturally immune to leprosy, but armadillos are known to carry the disease. The Florida Department of Health requires positive cases to be reported to the state within 24 hours of diagnosis . Florida Phoenix  / WDBO

Speaking of Bean, he introduced an updated bill forcing hospitals to develop transparent policies and procedures to prevent sticker shock when medical bills land in the mailbox.

Bean’s version of the Transparency in Billing Act is an updated version of legislation introduced initially by North Carolina Republican U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, who chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee.

The bill is part of a four-pronged health care package passed by the Education and Workforce Committee with bipartisan support last week. According to Bean’s office, the package will “empower patients, reduce costs and increase transparency” in health care.

Aaron Bean is fighting for medical transparency.

“Health care is the only industry where a consumer purchases something without knowing the price or value and that needs to change,” the Fernandina Beach Republican said in a news release.

“The House Education and Workforce Committee is leading the charge to transform America’s health care system. This week we secured a health care package that speaks directly to these concerns. With the passage of these innovative bills, people across the nation will no longer have to navigate an inaccessible, unaffordable and nontransparent health care system.”

In addition to the Transparency in Billing Act, the package includes:

— The Transparency in Coverage Act, which would codify the “Transparency in Coverage” final rule, provides consumers with price transparency for medical services and prescription drugs while shining a light on pharmacy benefit managers’ business practices.

— The Health DATA Act would ensure health plan fiduciaries are not contractually restricted from receiving cost or quality of care information about their plan.

— The Hidden Fee Disclosure Act would strengthen requirements that pharmacy benefit managers and third-party administrators disclose compensation to plan fiduciaries.