Haridopolos Supports Negron's Effort to Reform PIP

Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, was quick to give support to an effort by Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, filed Monday to revamp personal injury protection insurance.

Last year, Senator Negron successfully led the charge to reform our states antiquated and broken Medicaid system. That is why this session, I asked him to undertake the difficult and complex task of reforming PIP, Haridopolos stated in a release. I am confident that the comprehensive bill he introduced today will benefit Floridians across our state by controlling the costs of insurance premiums and effectively put an end to the fraud that we have seen in the current system.

Reforming personal injury protection insurance is a priority of both Gov. Rick Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.

Personal injury protection auto insurance is about to collectively crash the $1 billion mark for Florida motorists because of a need to cover the costs of fraud and massages.

The no-fault coverage, a hallmark of the state since 1971, has grown 70 percent in the past two years and the rates could skyrocket another 40 percent within a year.

The increase is primarily due to a rising number of fraudulent claims, mostly in the states metro areas, and a business exemption enacted several years ago that allows some massage health clinics to avoid state filing requirements regarding vehicle injury treatment.

Figures from the CFOs office show that staged accidents have grown 58 percent from 2008 to 2009 and an additional 39 percent the following year. Negrons bill, SB 1860, would require a long form for incident reports, closes the licensure loophole that exists for clinics, sets clear fee schedule for reimbursements and establishes an updated system for bill payments.

The bill would also give hospitals priority standing in personal injury protection claims.

I am proud to sponsor this measure that aims to reform PIP by building on the four pillars that Governor Scott and CFO Atwater outlined -- fraud prevention, litigation reform, utilization and provider reform and accountability, Negron stated in a release. President Haridopolos has clearly stated the mission: eliminate fraud in the PIP system and make sure legitimate health care providers are paid in a timely manner."

Two bills, HB 119 by Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, and HB 523 by Rep. Ritch Workman, R-Tallahassee, have previously been filed in the House.