Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Changes To 'Direct Primary Care'

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) - Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a bill to expand a 2018 law that created "direct primary care" agreements between doctors and patients.

The bill was among 11 measures that DeSantis signed into law on Tuesday.

Under direct primary care, patients or their employers make regular payments to doctors to provide certain services, removing insurers from the equation. The 2018 law made clear that such arrangements were not regulated under insurance laws, with backers saying they provide another health-care option for patients.

This year's bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Wyman Duggan and in the Senate by Sen. Aaron Bean will extend the program to dentists. The bill also changes the terminology to "direct health care" agreements.

The law takes effect on July 1st.

(©2019 CBS Local Media. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.)