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MIAMI – A new Florida law now allows home healthcare agencies to use contracted staff, such as travel nurses, to perform critical patient visits at their homes.

State Rep. Gallop Franklin (D-Tallahassee) sponsored the in which Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law.

The new law modernizes home healthcare rules to expand staffing flexibility and streamline oversight including admissions, evaluations and discharges.

Previously, only direct employees could handle those responsibilities.

The law also updates oversight rules, allowing a home health agency administrator to manage up to five agencies under the same ownership, as long as they are within an hour’s travel distance. Lawmakers say the change will help agencies operate more efficiently without sacrificing accountability.

The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is also required to revise its Excellence in Home Health Program to fairly evaluate and recognize all types of providers.