AHCA Prioritizes Patient-Centered Health Care System by Driving Accountability and
Transparency

Tallahassee, FLA. – Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, the Agency for Health Care
Administration (Agency) has spearheaded bold initiatives to lay the foundation for a patient centered health care system that will prioritize the interests of Florida patients. Driving transformation through greater accountability and broader transparency, the Agency has put
meaningful facility-level and provider health care cost information into the hands of Florida
consumers; paved a pathway forward for the importation of safe, affordable prescription drugs;
and convened health care providers from across Florida to identify key strategies and evidence based interventions to reduce potentially preventable hospital admissions, read missions, and emergency department visits as well as reduce adverse birth outcomes.
Governor Ron DeSantis said, “I am extremely proud of the work Secretary Mayhew and her
team at the Agency for Health Care Administration have accomplished over the past year. We
have taken tremendous strides toward lowering the cost of prescription drugs, providing greater
transparency of health care facility procedure costs, improving birth outcomes and reducing
potentially preventable hospital visits.
“We’ve also seen an unprecedented commitment to behavioral health services and support for
Florida’s most vulnerable populations. These critical steps will help reshape our health care
delivery system for the benefit of Florida patients, and I look forward to further building on this
work with Secretary Mayhew in the New Year.”
Secretary Mary Mayhew said, “Our top priority is to ensure a high quality, safe and affordable
health care delivery system for all Floridians, and in his first year in office, Governor DeSantis
has delivered on many groundbreaking health care initiatives for Florida patients. The Governor
and I have a shared mission to make Florida’s health care system the most transparent in the
nation. With our Agency’s expansion of Florida Health Price Finder, consumers, for the first
time, have easy access to the average costs paid for health care services in Florida.
“Equally important is measuring our Agency’s investments and interventions in health care to
ensure improved health outcomes through greater accountability and efficient use of taxpayer
dollars. By breaking down silos and creating new opportunities for collaboration with health care
providers from across Florida, we are poised to continue building an environment that fosters
clinical best practices, evidence-based care and data driven solutions for Florida patients.”
Canadian Prescription Drug Importation
Governor DeSantis has prioritized the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada.
The Agency officially submitted its concept paper in August to the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS) for Florida’s Canadian Prescription Drug Importation Program. With
this milestone achievement, Florida continues to drive the national conversation on reducing
prescription drug prices for individuals and families in need. Florida’s concept paper identified
an anticipated costs savings of over $150 million annually within taxpayer funded programs
when the program is fully operational.
The proposal has seen unprecedented support from President Trump and HHS Secretary Alex
Azar, who recently announced a historic notice of proposed rulemaking and draft guidance for a
plan to allow Florida and other states to import cheaper prescription drugs.
Transparency
At the start of his administration, Governor DeSantis directed Secretary Mayhew to expedite the
development of the Agency’s transparency website to offer facility-level pricing and quality
information for the most common health care services.
The expansion of Florida Health Price Finder in early November enabled Florida consumers to
review and shop costs for frequently sought health care services such as knee replacements,
hip replacements or rotator cuff repair at facilities in their area. This cost data is linked to quality
information, thereby empowering Floridians with the transparency necessary to make fully
informed health care decisions.
Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, the Agency has worked to dramatically increase the
amount of health care information available to consumers. Floridians now, for the first time,
have access to health care costs for procedures at hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers on
Florida Health Price Finder. The Agency’s mission is to drive affordability and value across
Florida’s health care system and by eliminating barriers to health care cost transparency,
Florida consumers and patients can be empowered to make well-informed decisions and create
increased accountability for providers.