(1)(a) The Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Plan shall be governed by a board of seven directors which shall be known as the Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association. The association is not a state agency, board, or commission. Notwithstanding the provision of s. 15.03, the association is authorized to use the state seal. (b) The directors shall be appointed for staggered terms of 3 years or until their successors are appointed and have qualified; however, a director may not serve for more than 6 consecutive years.
(c) The directors shall be appointed by the Chief Financial Officer as follows:1. One citizen representative who is not affiliated with any of the groups identified in subparagraphs 2.-7.
2. One representative of participating physicians.
3. One representative of hospitals.
4. One representative of casualty insurers.
5. One representative of physicians other than participating physicians.
6. One parent or legal guardian representative of an injured infant under the plan.
7. One representative of an advocacy organization for children with disabilities.
(2)(a) The Chief Financial Officer may select the representative of the participating physicians from a list of at least three names recommended by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District XII; the representative of hospitals from a list of at least three names recommended by the Florida Hospital Association; the representative of casualty insurers from a list of at least three names, one of which is recommended by the American Insurance Association, one of which is recommended by the Florida Insurance Council, and one of which is recommended by the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America; and the representative of physicians, other than participating physicians, from a list of three names recommended by the Florida Medical Association and a list of three names recommended by the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association. However, the Chief Financial Officer is not required to make an appointment from among the nominees of the respective associations. A participating physician who is named in a pending petition for a claim may not be appointed to the board. An appointed director who is a participating physician may not vote on any board matter relating to a claim accepted for an award for compensation if the physician is named in the petition for the claim.
(b) If applicable, the Chief Financial Officer shall promptly notify the appropriate association or person identified in paragraph (a) to make recommendations upon the occurrence of any vacancy, and like nominations may be made for the filling of the vacancy.
(c) The Governor or the Chief Financial Officer may remove a director from office for misconduct, malfeasance, misfeasance, or neglect of duty in office. Any vacancy so created shall be filled as provided in paragraph (a).
(3) The directors may not transact any business or exercise any power of the plan except upon the affirmative vote of four directors. The directors shall serve without salary but are entitled to receive reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his or her official duties as a director of the plan in accordance with s. 112.061. The directors are not subject to any liability with respect to the administration of the plan. (4) The board of directors has the power to:(a) Administer the plan.
(b) Administer the funds collected on behalf of the plan.
(c) Administer the payment of claims on behalf of the plan.
(d) Direct the investment and reinvestment of any surplus funds over losses and expenses, if any investment income generated thereby remains credited to the plan.
(e) Reinsure the risks of the plan in whole or in part.
(f) Sue and be sued, and appear and defend, in all actions and proceedings in its name to the same extent as a natural person.
(g) Have and exercise all powers necessary or convenient to effect any or all of the purposes for which the plan is created.
(h) Enter into such contracts as are necessary or proper to administer the plan.
(i) Employ or retain such persons as are necessary to perform the administrative and financial transactions and responsibilities of the plan and to perform other necessary and proper functions not prohibited by law.
(j) Take such legal action as may be necessary to avoid payment of improper claims.
(k) Indemnify any employee, agent, member of the board of directors or alternate thereof, or person acting on behalf of the plan in an official capacity, for expenses, including attorney fees, judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any action, suit, or proceeding, including any appeal thereof, arising out of such person’s capacity to act on behalf of the plan, if such person acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the plan and the health and best interest of the child having birth-related neurological injuries, and if, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, such person had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was lawful.
(5)(a) Money may be withdrawn on account of the plan only upon a voucher as authorized by the association.
(b) All meetings of the board of directors are subject to the requirements of s. 286.011, and all books, records, and audits of the plan are open to the public for reasonable inspection, except that a claim file in the possession of the association or its representative is confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution until termination of litigation or settlement of the claim, although medical records and other portions of the claim file may remain confidential and exempt as otherwise provided by law. Any book, record, document, audit, or asset acquired by, prepared for, or paid for by the association is subject to the authority of the board of directors, which is responsible therefor. (c) Except in the case of emergency meetings, the association shall give notice of any board meeting by publication on the association’s website not fewer than 7 days before the meeting. The association shall prepare an agenda in time to ensure that a copy of the agenda may be received at least 7 days before the meeting by any person who requests a copy and who pays the reasonable cost of the copy. The agenda, along with any meeting materials available in electronic form, excluding confidential and exempt information, shall be published on the association’s website. The agenda shall contain the items to be considered in order of presentation and a telephone number for members of the public to participate telephonically at the board meeting. After the agenda has been made available, a change shall be made only for good cause, as determined by the person designated to preside, and must be stated in the record. Notification of such change shall be at the earliest practicable time.
(d) Each person authorized to receive deposits, issue vouchers, or withdraw or otherwise disburse any funds shall post a blanket fidelity bond in an amount reasonably sufficient to protect plan assets, as determined by the plan of operation. The cost of such bond will be paid from the assets of the plan.
(e) Annually, the association shall furnish audited financial reports to any plan participant upon request, to the Office of Insurance Regulation of the Financial Services Commission, and to the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee. The reports must be prepared in accordance with accepted accounting procedures and must include such information as may be required by the Office of Insurance Regulation or the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee. At any time determined to be necessary, the Office of Insurance Regulation or the Joint Legislative Auditing Committee may conduct an audit of the plan.
(f) Funds held on behalf of the plan are funds of the State of Florida. The association may only invest plan funds in the investments and securities described in s. 215.47, and shall be subject to the limitations on investments contained in that section. All income derived from such investments will be credited to the plan. The State Board of Administration may invest and reinvest funds held on behalf of the plan in accordance with the trust agreement approved by the association and the State Board of Administration and within the provisions of ss. 215.44-215.53. (6) The association shall furnish annually to each parent and legal guardian receiving benefits under the plan either by mail or electronically a list of expenses compensable under the plan.
(7) The association shall publish a report on its website by January 1 of each year. The report shall include:(a) The names and terms of each board member and executive staff member.
(b) The amount of compensation paid to each association employee.
(c) A summary of reimbursement disputes and resolutions.
(d) A list of expenditures for attorney fees and lobbying fees.
(e) Other expenses to oppose each plan claim. Any personal identifying information of the parent, legal guardian, or child involved in the claim must be removed from this list.
(8) By November 1 of each year, the association shall submit a report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Financial Officer. The report must include:(a) The number of petitions filed for compensation with the division, the number of claimants awarded compensation, the number of claimants denied compensation, and the reasons for the denial of compensation.
(b) The number and dollar amount of paid and denied compensation for expenses by category and the reasons for any denied compensation for expenses by category.
(c) The average turnaround time for paying or denying compensation for expenses.
(d) Legislative recommendations to improve the program.
(e) A summary of any pending or resolved litigation during the year which affects the plan.
(f) The amount of compensation paid to each association employee or member of the board of directors.
