Bill > H0935

This bill establishes community health worker (CHW) services as an optional Medicaid service in Florida, allowing the Agency for Health Care Administration to pay for and reimburse these services. A community health worker is defined as a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of or has a close understanding of the community they serve, and can include community health representatives, promotores de salud, and community-based organizations. The bill authorizes CHWs to provide a wide range of services such as health promotion, wellness coaching, cultural mediation, interpretation, health system navigation, patient advocacy, appointment reminders, treatment adherence support, home visits, community assessments, transportation arrangement, connection to social services, and care coordination. The bill requires the agency to adopt rules specifying eligible CHW services and allows the agency to seek federal approval for implementation. Additionally, the bill mandates that Medicaid managed care plans include community health worker services as a minimum benefit and permits fee-for-service reimbursement for these services, with the bill set to take effect on July 1, 2026. This legislation aims to expand access to community-based health support, particularly for underserved populations, by recognizing and financially supporting the critical work of community health workers.

Health and Social Services

https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/935