The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has announced a rule development workshop to amend Rule 59A-8.007, Florida Administrative Code, relating to geographic service areas for licensed home health agencies.

This rulemaking follows the enactment of HB 1353 during the 2025 Legislative Session. HB 1353 modernized § 400.476(1)(a), Florida Statutes — a provision originally adopted in 2008 to address Medicaid fraud concerns by limiting the number of agencies a single administrator could oversee based on geographic proximity.

Under the prior law, administrators could oversee no more than five agencies unless those agencies shared identical controlling interests and were located within the same geographic service area or contiguous counties.

While appropriate at the time, those geographic limitations became increasingly misaligned with current oversight mechanisms. Over the past decade, compliance infrastructure has evolved significantly through:

• Electronic health records
• Electronic Visit Verification
• Real-time documentation and audit capabilities
• Strengthened Medicaid program integrity systems

These tools provide more effective monitoring than rigid geographic boundaries. Maintaining the outdated restrictions resulted in unnecessary administrative duplication, workforce strain, and higher operating costs — particularly in rural and underserved areas — without improving fraud prevention or care quality.

HB 1353 updated the statute to reflect these realities. The current rule amendment ensures that AHCA’s regulatory language aligns with the revised statute.

What is Being Updated

Rule 59A-8.007 outlines geographic service areas applicable to licensed home health agencies. AHCA is proposing to:

• Update the application version date
• Update statutory references
• Align the rule with §§ 400.476 and 400.497, Florida Statutes

Although technical in nature, these revisions are necessary to conform the rule to current law and eliminate inconsistencies between statute and rule.

Workshop Details

• Date: March 4, 2026
• Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET
• Location: Agency for Health Care Administration (2727 Mahan Drive, Building 3, Conference Room B, Tallahassee, FL 32308)
• Virtual Participation: (888) 585-9008; Conference Room Number 998-518-088#

Agenda and related materials will be posted in advance on AHCA’s rulemaking webpage.

Why Participation Matters

While the proposed changes are procedural, rule language governs day-to-day licensure interpretation and enforcement. Clear alignment between statute and rule is essential to:

• Prevent conflicting regulatory guidance
• Promote consistent application by surveyors and licensing staff
• Provide operational certainty for providers serving multiple service areas

Provider participation during rule development helps ensure the statute is implemented as intended and that the final rule reflects operational realities across Florida’s home care sector.

HCAF members are also encouraged to share feedback, operational concerns, or suggested revisions with HCAF so that we may incorporate member input into formal comments submitted to AHCA. Coordinated feedback strengthens the industry’s position and helps ensure consistent implementation statewide.

Providers may also submit comments directly to AHCA at HQARuleComments@ahca.myflorida.com.

HCAF will continue to monitor the rulemaking process and provide updates as implementation progresses.