The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) applauds the House for passing SB 7014 and sending it to the governor. The legislation will provide health care workers with necessary protections by extending COVID-19 liability measures originally passed last year to help long term care centers address the pandemic and focus their resources on resident care.
“FHCA is grateful to Senate President Wilton Simpson, Senators Kathleen Passidomo and Danny Burgess, along with House Speaker Chris Sprowls and Representatives Paul Renner and Colleen Burton for making COVID-19 liability measures a priority again this year. The protections provided by SB 7014 are critical for our state’s nursing centers and assisted living facilities, ensuring that our long term care workers can remain safe from sue and settle lawsuit tactics while continuing to serve in a challenging pandemic environment,” said FHCA CEO Emmett Reed.
“We appreciate that our lawmakers recognize the importance of being protected while working during this difficult time. COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on nursing centers and our heroic caregivers, as pandemic burnout has worsened an already challenged workforce. These liability protections reinforce support from our Legislature and ensure that Florida’s long term care centers have the resources needed to continue providing high-quality care to Florida’s most vulnerable population.”
ABOUT THE FLORIDA HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) is a federation that serves nearly 1,000 members and represents more than 500 long-term care facilities that provide skilled nursing, post-acute and subacute care, short-term rehab, assisted living, and other services to the elderly and individuals with disabilities in Florida. The mission of FHCA is to advance the quality of services, image, professional development, and financial stability of its members. As Florida’s first and largest advocacy organization for long-term care providers and the elderly they serve, the Association has worked diligently since 1954 to assist its members with continuously improving quality of care and quality of life for the state’s growing elder care population. For more information about the Florida Health Care Association, visit http://www.fhca.org.
