Bruce D. Platt

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Bruce Platt serves as managing partner of Akerman’s Tallahassee office. With a background in healthcare and medical technology, he helps insurers, providers, and related companies navigate federal and state regulations and administrative law. Clients rely on Bruce for guidance on complex regulations, such as the Florida Insurance Code, HIPAA, and the Affordable Care Act. His clients include Aetna, AvMed, Florida Blue, Health First, and UnitedHealthcare, among others.

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The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Amends the Application for Certificate of Authority for Health Maintenance Organizations

By Thomas A. Range and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Healthcare Law
Applicants for a health maintenance organization (HMO) certificate of authority (COA) in Florida must use a new application form effective January 28, 2024. After rule development by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, the Florida Department of Financial Services adopted amendments to Rule 69O-C1-942, F.A.C. The amendment incorporates changes to the Florida HMO COA application … Continue Reading

ACTION REQUIRED TO AVOID FINES! DEADLINE APPROACHING: Florida Pharmacy Benefit Managers Must Be Licensed as a Third-Party Administrator by January 1, 2024

By Thomas A. Range and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Healthcare Law, Pharmacy, Drugs, Medical Devices & Equipment
Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) take note! Under Florida’s new Prescription Drug Reform Act, PBMs must be licensed as an insurance administrator (also known as a third-party administrator, or TPA). Under this new law, any entity that wishes to provide PBM services after January 1, 2024, must be licensed as a TPA.… Continue Reading

New Florida Law Will Impose A Third-Party Administrator Licensing Requirement for Pharmacy Benefit Managers

By Bruce D. Platt and Thomas A. Range on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Healthcare Law, Pharmacy, Drugs, Medical Devices & Equipment
On May 3, 2023, the Florida governor signed a comprehensive law (SB 1550) regarding pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). This new law imposes significant new requirements on PBMs. This article discusses only one of these new requirements: a PBM must obtain a license, called a certificate of authority, to act as an insurance administrator, which is … Continue Reading

Common Errors in State Licensing Applications

By Bruce D. Platt and Thomas A. Range on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Healthcare Law
As a condition of doing business in the healthcare field, persons and companies must generally obtain the appropriate licenses or approvals. In addition to requirements that apply to all businesses, such as registering corporate entities with the Secretary of State or obtaining local business licenses known as business tax receipts, there are also substantive requirements … Continue Reading

Group Health Plan Sponsors are Getting Serious About Pricing Transparency – Are You Keeping Up?

By Amber Roberts, Elizabeth F. Hodge, Bruce D. Platt, Thomas A. Range and Beth Alcalde on Posted in Health Care Providers, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations, Healthcare Law, Hospitals & Health Systems, Physicians
In early July, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (Labor), and the Department of the Treasury (Treasury) (collectively, the Departments), along with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) released an interim final rule related to the No Surprises Act, legislation designed to protect patients from unexpected medical bills. The … Continue Reading

The Sun is Rising on COVID Liability Protection for Florida Healthcare Providers

By Ashlee R. Tising and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Health Care Providers, Healthcare Law, Hospitals & Health Systems
Good news is here for healthcare providers worried about being left out of COVID-19-related liability protections during the 2021 Florida Legislative Session! The Republican-led Legislature, supported by Governor Ron DeSantis, is upholding its commitment to protect businesses, including healthcare providers, from frivolous lawsuits filed because of exposure to COVID-19. While only a Senate-version of legislation … Continue Reading

A Glossary of Commonly Used Acronyms in Florida Managed Care

By Thomas A. Range and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Accountable Care Organizations, Health Care Providers, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations, Healthcare Law
Anyone who interacts with third party payors encounter acronyms on a regular basis. While acronyms are intended to facilitate efficient communication, their use often instead leads to confusion. This blog is intended to provide a brief overview of some commonly used acronyms in managed care. Please note that, although some of the acronyms are specifically … Continue Reading

2019 Legislative Session – The Passage of Telehealth (HB 23)

By Steven Grigas and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations, Healthcare Law, Medicare & Medicaid
In the closing days of this year’s legislative session, the Florida House and Senate came to agreement on statutory language that adopts the parameters for telehealth for Florida. HB 23, sponsored by Representative Clay Yarborough, establishes a statutory basis for telehealth services, provides meaningful definitions of the terms telehealth and telehealth provider, and creates Section … Continue Reading

Year in Review/Year Ahead: Vertical Mergers

By James M. Burns and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Healthcare M&A, Joint Ventures, Transactions & Health Ventures, Uncategorized
The Akerman LLP Healthcare Practice Group, as part of its ongoing informational blogs and Practice Updates, will be publishing a series of articles, each outlining a significant healthcare industry issue from 2018, with an eye towards what to expect in 2019. The following is the second in our series – The Year in Review/The Year … Continue Reading

The 2018 SMMC Proposed Contract Awards: Where Do You Go From Here?

By Steven Grigas and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations, Medicare & Medicaid
On April 24 the Agency for Health Care Administration (“AHCA”) released its proposed contract awards for the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (“SMMC”) Program.  The determinations that AHCA made for this 5 year, $90 billion re-procurement were surprising to many and are likely to result in a significant reshaping of the program that currently exists.  First, … Continue Reading

Issues and Analysis of the State’s Medicaid Managed Assistance ITN

By Steven Grigas and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations, Healthcare Reform Legislation, Medicare & Medicaid
The recently released Invitations to Negotiate (ITN) for Florida’s Statewide Medicaid Managed Care program (SMMC) parallels in large part the State’s initial procurements that were released in 2012 and 2013. Where the current ITN differs, however, should be of interest to all applicants and associated parties. This blog post addresses several of the more significant … Continue Reading

State Releases Medicaid Managed Care Invitation to Negotiate

By Steven Grigas and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations, Healthcare Reform Legislation, Medicare & Medicaid
Last Friday, July 14, 2017, the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) released its long awaited Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) for State Wide Medicaid Managed Care services. The ITN, one for each of the 11 regions within the state, may be found on the state Vendor Bid System (VBS), the link for which is … Continue Reading

Potential Implications to the ACA Under the Incoming Republican Administration – Part I: the Insurance Industry

By Bruce D. Platt, Martin L. Monaco, Jr. and Richard L. Spees on Posted in Affordable Care Act and Other Healthcare Reform Legislation, Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations
In the uncertain atmosphere surrounding the process of ‘repealing’ and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there are some clues as to what we can expect to come next, at least with regard with the health insurance industry. Obviously, one place to look is to President-Elect Trump himself. During his campaign, then-candidate Trump published a … Continue Reading

HHS Publishes a New Rule to Protect Dialysis Patients From Being “Steered” into Private Coverage for the Benefit of Dialysis Centers

By Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations, Healthcare Law, Medicare & Medicaid, Physicians
On implementing significant, new requirements for Medicare-certified dialysis facilities that make payment of premiums for individual health coverage, on December 14, 2016, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published an Interim final rule with comment period. The regulations become effective 30 days after the date of publication – January 13, 2017, and comments … Continue Reading

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Releases an Invitation to Negotiate for a Vendor to Provide an All Payor Claims Database to Florida Consumers

By Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Healthcare Law
The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) released ITN 003-16/17 (the “ITN”) to select a vendor to provide All Payer Claims Database (APCD) services pursuant to section 408.05(3)(c), Florida Statutes. The ITN, published on September 26, 2016, contains a tight time-frame for the submission and evaluation of responses to it. While written inquiries regarding … Continue Reading

Insurers Challenge Retroactive Application of New Florida Law that Requires Comparison of Names of Accounts to Death Master File

By Thomas A. Range and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations
Amendments to the Florida Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act in 2016 made significant changes to unclaimed property presumptions and insurance company obligations. See § 717.107, Fla. Stat. (2016) (the Act). Among other things, the Act: (a) revises conditions of when certain insurance policies or annuity contracts are deemed matured and the proceeds are due and … Continue Reading

Surprise Medical Bills? The Florida Legislature Offers Some Relief!

By Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory, Healthcare Law
With House Bill 221, the last bill to pass during the 2016 legislative session, the Florida legislature took a significant step towards reducing uncertainty for medical costs for persons with Preferred Provider Organization (“PPO”) health insurance by limiting unanticipated, balance billing.  “Balance billing” is the practice of providers charging patients for a bill, or any … Continue Reading

A Quick Look at Healthcare Issues Expected to Make News in 2015

By Bruce D. Platt and Robert E. Slavkin on Posted in Accountable Care Organizations, Healthcare M&A, Joint Ventures, Transactions & Health Ventures, Medicare & Medicaid
As we look into our crystal balls, we do not expect a lot of new issues in 2015. Rather, we believe that most of the significant issues will be a continuation of issues that arose in 2014 or earlier. For example, continued implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”), which was … Continue Reading

HHS Guidance Clouds Earlier Statement, Discourages Providers From Purchasing Insurance for Patients

By Sheryl D. Rosen and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Fraud & Abuse & False Claims Act, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations, Hospitals & Health Systems
There has been much speculation in the health care community that it may be financially beneficial, under certain circumstances, for hospitals and other large providers to purchase health care coverage for their indigent patients.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius recently stated that Qualified Health Plans, which are sold on the … Continue Reading

Protests of the Medicaid Managed Assistance ITN Recommended Awards

By Steven Grigas and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations
Pursuant to Section 409.966, Florida Statutes, traditional Medicaid services are to be provided to Florida recipients through a limited number of Managed Care Organizations (“MCOs”) in the 11 Regions of the state.  The Agency released Invitations to Negotiate (“ITNs)” for each of the Regions inviting MCOs to submit proposals to provide coverage to Medicaid recipients … Continue Reading

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration Releases Questions and Answers Specific to the Medicaid Managed Care Invitations to Negotiate

By Bruce D. Platt and Steven Grigas on Posted in Government Affairs, Licensure & Regulatory
Florida is in the process of moving the majority of its Medicaid population into managed care settings – either into Health Maintenance Organizations or Provider Service Networks.   First, Florida focused on moving long-term care Medicaid members – including Medicaid recipients in nursing homes and the Florida nursing home diversion program – into managed care. In … Continue Reading

HHS and Florida Reach “Agreement in Principle” for Medicaid Waiver

By Sheryl D. Rosen and Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations
We previously reported that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) granted a Medicaid waiver allowing Florida to implement its Medicaid Long-Term Care Managed Care Program.  On February 20, 2013, HHS issued a letter stating it has reached an “agreement in principle” to grant a second Medicaid waiver – this one for Florida’s Managed Medical … Continue Reading

Employers Should Consult with their Insurance Agents to Discuss the Possibility of Early Renewal of Health Insurance Coverage

By Bruce D. Platt on Posted in Affordable Care Act and Other Healthcare Reform Legislation, Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations
While one of the greatest benefits of the federal Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) is better access for all to quality healthcare, theoretically resulting in lower health care expenditures, there also are costs associated with the ACA. Many of these costs take the form of additional fees on participating insurers and health maintenance organizations in our … Continue Reading

Florida Medicaid Managed Care Receives Green Light From HHS

By Bruce D. Platt and Sheryl D. Rosen on Posted in Health Insurers & Managed Care Organizations
Florida has been working on a plan to shift the state’s Medicaid population into managed care for nearly two years – ever since the Florida Legislature directed the change in 2011. On Monday the state received the approval it needed from the federal government. By letter dated February 1, 2013, the U.S. Department of Health and … Continue Reading
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