At a July 15th DWC hearing, stakeholders raised questions about proposed revisions to Florida’s workers’ comp medical billing and bill review rules that remove language related to physician-dispensed medications.

Stakeholders requested clarification on the definitions of “pharmacy” and “pharmacist” as well as prior authorization requirements.

The proposed changes follow the First DCA’s February 2026 decision in Publix Super Markets, Inc. v. Department of Financial Services, which concluded that an injured worker’s statutory right to select a pharmacy or pharmacist does not extend to physician dispensing.

Commenters asked the DWC to clarify the scope of pharmacy and pharmacist definitions and prior authorization requirements, including whether physician-dispensed medications generally require prior authorization except in urgent or emergency situations, and whether authorization for treatment automatically extends to related medications, dispensing arrangements, pharmacies, duration, or other services.

The deadline for written public comments has been extended to July 24, 2026. The DWC indicated it is willing to review proposed alternative language, while noting that some comments may go beyond the scope of the current rulemaking and would need to be considered case by case. Written comments may be emailed to Charlene.Miller@myfloridacfo.com.