{"id":2528627,"date":"2026-01-02T15:26:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T20:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/floridas-new-laws-target-health-care-for-people-and-pets\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T15:29:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T20:29:22","slug":"floridas-new-laws-target-health-care-for-people-and-pets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/floridas-new-laws-target-health-care-for-people-and-pets\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida&#8217;s new laws target health care for people and pets"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffloridas-new-laws-target-health-care-for-people-and-pets%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2528627&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Florida enacted several new laws aimed at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/legal-experts-respond-to-supreme-courts-split-decision-on-vaccine-mandates\/\" title=\"Legal Experts Respond to Supreme Court\u2019s Split Decision on Vaccine Mandates\">regulating health care<\/a> for people and pets and strengthening penalties for animal cruelty. State employees on plans that cover diagnostic or supplemental breast exams can no longer be charged copays, deductibles, or coinsurance for those exams (Senate Bill 158). Senate Bill 1808 requires health care providers and facilities to refund patient overpayments within 30 days, with disciplinary actions or fines (up to $500 for providers licensed by the Agency for Health Care Governance) for noncompliance. House bill 655 creates a regulatory framework for pet insurance and pet wellness programs, banning deceptive practices (such as marketing wellness plans as insurance or hiding costs) and requiring clear definitions and disclosures, including chronic-condition exclusions. House Bill 255 increases penalties for aggravated animal cruelty and mandated the Department of Law Enforcement to publish a searchable registry of animal cruelty convictions, now available online; supporters say tougher penalties aim to prevent escalation to other violent crimes.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Florida&rsquo;s new laws target health care for people and pets<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2461958\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\/\">Florida&rsquo;s<\/a> newest laws require breast exam insurance coverage for state employees, regulate pet insurance and wellness programs, and punish <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/policy\/healthcare\/\">health care<\/a> providers and facilities who don&rsquo;t refund overpayments in a timely manner.<\/p>\n<p>As of Thursday, people on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hobbs-executive-order-sex-reassignment-surgery-is-covered-by-insurance-for-state-employees\/\" title=\"Hobbs executive order: ...&#039; ... now covers sex reassignment surgery.\">state employee health insurance plan<\/a> that covers diagnostic or supplemental breast exams cannot be charged copays, deductibles, or coinsurance for those exams, according to Senate Bill 158.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4399506\/abortion-likely-wont-motivate-voters-in-2026\/\">Abortion likely won&#8217;t motivate voters in 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4379205\/us-likely-to-lose-measles-eradication-status-2026\/\">US likely to lose measles eradication status in 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4378989\/fraud-explains-high-obamacare-enrollment-despite-subsidy-lapse\/\">Fraud explains high Obamacare enrollment despite subsidy lapse<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Another new law, Senate Bill 1808, requires providers and health care facilities to refund overpayments made by patients within 30 days. Providers who don&rsquo;t follow the law could face disciplinary action by their licensing board or the Department of Health. Providers licensed by the Agency for Health Care Administration could face a penalty of up to $500.<\/p>\n<p>House Bill 655, which also went into effect on New Year&rsquo;s Day, provides a regulatory framework and oversight for pet insurance and pet wellness programs.<\/p>\n<p>It prohibits unfair or deceptive practices in the industry, such as marketing a wellness program as pet insurance, requiring the purchase of a wellness program to obtain pet insurance, not clearly separating wellness program costs from pet insurance costs, duplicating coverage, and more.<\/p>\n<p>The law also requires pet insurers to use statutory definitions of terms and disclose certain information to policyholders, such as whether the policy excludes coverage due to a chronic condition, among other things.<\/p>\n<p>House Bill 255, which became law in July, increases penalties for aggravated animal cruelty cases and requires the Department of Law Enforcement to create a searchable database of people who have been convicted of animal cruelty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The requirement went into effect in January. The Aggravated Animal Cruelty registry is now available on the department&rsquo;s website.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4399506\/abortion-likely-wont-motivate-voters-in-2026\/\">ABORTION LIKELY WON&rsquo;T MOTIVATE VOTERS IN 2026<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The harsher penalties are meant to make it more likely that offenders get prison time, according to state Rep. Linda Chaney, who filed the bill. She said animal abuse is often an early warning sign for family violence.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Individuals who commit these <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >heinous acts typically don&#038;rsquo<\/a>;t stop at animals; they are better indicators of future violence, harassment, assault, rape, murder, and arson cases as found by the FBI,&rdquo; Chaney said at the time. &ldquo;In another study, it was found that animal abusers are five times more likely to harm other humans. Animal abuse was even present in 88% of homes being investigated for child abuse.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Florida enacts health, pet insurance and refunds law<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2869,"featured_media":2528628,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25288848337026.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[5113,33159,4762,32264,69979],"class_list":["post-2528627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-florida","tag-health-care","tag-legislation","tag-pets","tag-veterinary-care"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25288848337026.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2528627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2528627"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2528627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2528631,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2528627\/revisions\/2528631"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2528628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2528627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2528627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2528627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}