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Bill

SB 670

Right of Medical Conscience of Health Care Providers and Health Care Payors

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Clay Yarborough

Florida bill allows healthcare providers and insurers to refuse services based on moral/religious objections without legal or professional penalties.

Introduced
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 670

Legislative bill overview

SB 670 establishes protections for healthcare providers and health insurance companies to refuse services or coverage based on personal moral, ethical, or religious objections. The bill creates a legal framework allowing both individual practitioners and payors to decline participation in treatments they find objectionable without facing discrimination, licensure penalties, or contractual consequences.

Why is this important

This legislation directly affects patient access to medical services by potentially limiting when and where certain treatments are available. It balances provider conscience rights against patient care continuity, raises questions about insurance coverage gaps, and could create barriers for patients seeking time-sensitive or specialized procedures in areas with limited provider options.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope of refusals: Unclear whether refusals can extend to broad categories of care (reproductive health, gender-affirming care, end-of-life treatment) or must be narrowly tailored to specific procedures
  • Patient access guarantees: No specified mechanisms requiring alternative providers or ensuring patients can still obtain services, potentially creating care deserts in rural areas or for unpopular treatments
  • Insurance company denials: Allowing payors to deny coverage based on conscience raises concerns about systematic exclusion of entire treatment categories from insurance plans regardless of medical necessity
  • Discrimination protections: Tension between provider conscience protections and existing anti-discrimination laws protecting patients based on sex, race, or other characteristics
  • Emergency care exceptions: Unclear whether conscience protections apply during emergencies when refusal could be life-threatening

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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