Skylar Zander: Legislature, Ron DeSantis on cusp of transformational health care reform in Florida

As Florida lawmakers enter the final stretch of this year’s Legislative Session, major health care reform is moving through the House and Senate with the potential to transform Florida’s health care system and the lives of millions of Floridians.

This year, Florida lawmakers have the opportunity to empower advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to use the full scope of their medical training. This would not only expand access to quality health care, it would also save Florida as much as $9.5 billion in health care costs — almost $500 per Florida resident — and contribute an additional $1 billion to the economy in the form of increased wages and new jobs.

Removing barriers to allow registered nurses to do what they are trained to do is good for patients, good for doctors and good for the economy.

This is the kind of bold reform that too many politicians talk about, but never deliver. The lasting impact this will have on Florida is exactly the kind of transformational change that voters have been demanding

Passing scope of practice, combined with last year’s repeal of the major certificate of need laws and transformative telehealth legislation, would position Florida as the nation’s leader in providing its residents with greater access to quality health care.

These health care reforms are just a few of this Session’s achievements. As Session comes to an end, let’s not counteract these gains by erecting barriers in other areas. Our officials should avoid last-minute efforts to impose new undue burdens on employers and employees, such as some proposed E-Verify provisions, which could impose significant new regulations on companies and give more policing authority to government agencies.

Such regulations would only put Florida’s businesses and economy at a disadvantage.

Instead, let’s continue to focus on the significant legislative wins the Legislature and the Governor are poised to deliver. In addition to health care, reforms to occupational licensing and education will help improve the well-being of all residents, increase job opportunities, and strengthen the Sunshine State’s economy.

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Skylar Zander is the state director of Americans for Prosperity-Florida.