Legislation that would have allowed two taxpayer-funded hospital systems in Broward County to collaborate more freely and bypass certain antitrust laws was “temporarily postponed” in a key Florida Senate committee.
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the proposal (SB 1122) appears dead for the current session, which ends March 13.
The bill would apply to any of Florida’s 28 public hospital districts but was pushed by Broward's taxpayer-funded systems, Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare. Both are currently led by the same CEO, Shane Strum.
The bill would have granted districts — and private partners — broad immunity from antitrust scrutiny if they entered joint ventures.
Bill supporters, led by Strum, say collaboration is essential to meet growing health care demands. The measure would have allowed his two systems’ 11 hospitals to pool resources without fear of costly lawsuits.
Critics countered that the bill amounted to a “backdoor merger” that could weaken competition, limit patient choice and shield public entities from oversight.
A House version (HB 1047) was referred to four committees, with no other action taken.
Click here to read the entire story in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
