1004.29 University health services support organizations.

(1) Each state university is authorized to establish university health services support organizations which shall have the ability to enter into, for the benefit of the university academic health sciences center, arrangements with other entities as providers in other integrated health care systems or similar entities. To the extent required by law or rule, university health services support organizations shall become licensed as insurance companies, pursuant to chapter 624, or be certified as health maintenance organizations, pursuant to chapter 641. University health services support organizations shall have sole responsibility for the acts, debts, liabilities, and obligations of the organization. In no case shall the state or university have any responsibility for such acts, debts, liabilities, and obligations incurred or assumed by university health services support organizations.

(2) Each university health services support organization shall be a Florida corporation not for profit, incorporated under the provisions of chapter 617 and approved by the Department of State.

(3) A state university board of trustees, in accordance with rules and guidelines of the Board of Governors, may prescribe, by rule, conditions with which a university health services support organization must comply in order to be certified and to use property, facilities, or personal services at any state university. The rules must provide for budget, audit review, and oversight by the board of trustees. Such rules shall provide that the university health services support organization may provide salary supplements and other compensation or benefits for university faculty and staff employees only as set forth in the organization’s budget, which shall be subject to approval by the university president.

(4) The chair of the university board of trustees may appoint a representative to the board of directors and the executive committee of any university health services support organization established under this section. The president of the university for which the university health services support organization is established, or the president’s designee, shall also serve on the board of directors and the executive committee of any university health services support organization established to benefit that university.

(5) Each university health services support organization shall provide for an annual financial audit in accordance with s. 1004.28(5). The auditor’s report, management letter, and any supplemental data requested by the Board of Governors, the university board of trustees, and the Auditor General shall be considered public records, pursuant to s. 119.07.

History: s. 173, ch. 2002-387; s. 90, ch. 2007-217.