Hello ECMA members,
I wanted to share a brief update from the Florida Medical Association (FMA) Board of Governors meeting held in Tampa, January 23 to 25, 2026.
I took Friday off and made the drive because these meetings give me a chance to step back from the pace of the OR and clinic and focus on the broader issues shaping medicine in Florida. The time with physician colleagues from across the state is just as valuable. Advocacy succeeds through long-term relationships and consistent engagement, well before an issue reaches a crisis point.
Friday evening included a fundraiser for a physician running for state office, and I appreciated the chance to support his campaign and speak with a seasoned political strategist about how the legislative process really works. Saturday started early, with a pre-dawn walk and political update with PAC colleagues, followed by an opportunity to speak with students in the FMA Leadership Academy. The academy is an excellent program that helps young physicians understand the legislative system and develop practical advocacy skills. It left me convinced we need more young physicians from our area to participate. If you, a partner, or an associate is interested, please reply, and I will connect you.
Key issues discussed at the FMA PAC and Board meetings included the following.
- Scope and independent practice proposals. We reviewed legislation that could further expand unsupervised practice. If someone is practicing medicine independently, the oversight and standards should match that responsibility. We also reviewed data suggesting that some prior expansions have not reliably delivered the promised access to care in underserved communities.
- Licensure pathway concerns. The Florida Board of Medicine raised concerns about proposals that would allow full licensure based on training pathways and postgraduate experiences that are not consistently known or validated. The Board recommended against lowering standards in ways that could compromise patient safety.
- Insurance network referral language. We discussed proposed requirements that could impose new obligations on referring physicians to ensure that referrals are in-network. As written, this could add administrative burden and delay care.
- Wrongful death expansion. There is continued pressure to expand wrongful death liability. The downstream effects include increased exposure, larger payouts, and rising malpractice premiums, which make it harder and more expensive to practice medicine in Florida. We believe we can stop this again this year, but it will take sustained advocacy.
- Medicaid progress and follow-through. Florida achieved movement toward improved Medicaid alignment for children. However, concerns remain about whether increases are consistently reaching front-line pediatric practices as intended. Work is underway to correct this so that policy changes translate into real support for patient care.
Why the FMA PAC matters
Much of the PAC’s work is preventative. The biggest victories are often the bad bills that never become law. Other groups are highly organized and well funded, and they are engaged every cycle. If physicians are not engaged, policy will continue shifting in ways that harm practicing physicians and limit patient access. If you would like help finding the right link or understanding how PAC support works, call or text me at 850-774-7549, and I will point you in the right direction.
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I plan to share these FMA updates regularly in a straightforward, from-the-room style: what I heard, what it means, and what is next. If you have questions, concerns, or topics you want raised at the next meeting, please let me know. I would also value hearing what issues you are seeing on the ground here on the Emerald Coast.
Thank you again for the opportunity to serve and represent our region.
Respectfully,
Daniel “Skip” Daube, MD
ECMA | FMA Board of Governors Representative, District A
Cell: 850-774-7549
