Politically, we are in the calm between the storms right now in Florida. After a busy legislative season at the state level this spring, which saw a mixture of wins and losses, we turn our eyes towards the coming months with primaries in August and the general election in November. No matter the outcomes that lay ahead, elections always have consequences on healthcare and affect the system we must work within to care for our patients — pandemic or not.

At the state level, we can anticipate continued battles with insurers and further scope of practice arguments in the coming year, as well as possible changes to Medicaid given our current economic outlook. The next legislative session will also enter Florida into an era of new leadership, as Speaker Oliva, whose primary focus has been to leave his print on Florida healthcare, is completing his final term this fall.

At the national level, surprise medical billing continues to be one of the few arguments whose sides do not fall within partisan lines. ACEP continues to battle against special interest groups attempting to slip rate-setting solutions to surprise medical billing into COVID-related legislative packages in an attempt to capitalize on the pandemic that we are all serving on the frontlines, fighting against. ACEP continues to represent us well in this battle and works to help emergency physicians in D.C.

The waters are murky going forward, and we must be prepared for an array of potential legislative battles after the upcoming election. I thank you all for your involvement in FCEP and ask that you please encourage your colleagues to join and become active members. I also encourage everyone to donate to the Florida College of Emergency Physicians Political Action Committee. FCEP PAC is the voice of emergency physicians to politicians who make the decisions that shape our practice, and without appropriate funding, that voice falls on deaf ears.

As always, FCEP will continue to monitor any potential bills shaping physician rights, scope of practice, balance billing, opioid treatment and any other potential bills that can affect the practice of emergency physicians. If you have any concerns or would like to learn more ways to be involved in advocacy, please feel free to email me anytime at BlakeBuchanan87@gmail.com. ■