Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis Directive 2021-02
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis issued a directive empowering Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate, Tasha Carter, to engage in advocacy efforts on behalf of families who receive services from the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association (NICA). This action directs the Insurance Consumer Advocate to coordinate directly with families participating in the NICA program and advocate on their behalf before the Division of Administrative Hearings. These direct advocacy efforts will aid NICA families as they navigate the claims process.
Advocacy for NICA Families
Tasha Carter has served as Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate
(ICA) since being appointed in August 2019 by Chief Financial Officer Jimmy
Patronis. ICA Carter is the voice for insurance consumers when and where
insurance decisions are being made. She is committed to using her more than 20
years of advocacy experience to passionately represent NICA families before the
Office of the Insurance Regulation, the Division of Administrative Hearings,
the Florida Legislature and other venues. She will work with families and stakeholders
to inform decisions, changes and Legislative actions that impact the program.
If you are a NICA participant, ICA Carter would like to share
information and pertinent updates directly with you via email communications.
To share your contact information, complete the form below.
To learn more about ICA Carter and her priorities, visit Meet Your ICA. For more details on the Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate, visit ICA Office Overview.
ICA Carter wants to hear from you!
If you have specific questions or concerns regarding your experience with NICA, or suggestions or recommendations to improve your experience, please contact ICA Carter via phone, email or social media:
NICA Florida Statutes and Current Legislative Actions
NICA Florida Statutes
The Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 1786 on April 29, 2021.
Next steps:
The bill will be sent to the Governor for consideration.
The bill makes several changes to the NICA program (the Plan). Specifically, the bill:
- Requires NICA to administer the Plan in a manner that promotes and protects health and best interests of birth-injured children.
- Increases the maximum amount that may be awarded to parents or legal guardians of an infant who has sustained a birth-related neurological injury from $100,000 to $250,000 for pending petitions or claims filed on or after January 1, 2021, with the amount increased by three percent annually. This provision of the bill applies retroactively to claims filed before January 1, 2021.
- Increases the death benefit for an infant who sustained a neurological injury from $10,000 to $50,000. This payment is retroactive.
- Increases the number of directors on the NICA’s board of directors from five to seven by adding a parent or legal guardian of a Plan participant and a representative of an advocacy organization for children with disabilities.
- Increases transparency of the Board of Directors.
- Provides an annual benefit of $10,000 for the immediate family members living with the child for mental health services.
- For the life of the child, providing parents or legal guardians with a reliable method of transportation for the care of the child or reimbursing the cost of upgrading an existing vehicle to accommodate the child’s needs when it becomes medically necessary for wheelchair transportation.
- Housing assistance of up to $100,000 for the lifetime of the child, including home construction and modification expense.
- Creates code of ethics for specified staff and members of the board of directors.
- Requires the NICA to submit an annual report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The first annual report must include an actuarial analysis of the fiscal impacts of revising certain eligibility standards and benefits.
- Requires the Auditor General to conduct an audit of the NICA every 3 years.
NICA Families: Share Your Contact Information
To better help ICA Carter advocate for your family, please submit your contact information in the form below. Personal contact information will be used for direct communication from the Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate.
Contact the Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate
Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate
200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 413-5923
Email: YourFLVoice@MyFloridaCFO.com
