Health Care Responsibility Act (HCRA)
In 1977, the Florida Legislature declared that it is inequitable for hospitals and taxpayers of one county to be expected to subsidize the care of out-of-county indigent persons. In order to assure that adequate and affordable health care is available to all Floridians, the Health Care Responsibility Act (HCRA) was enacted. The Act places the ultimate financial obligation for an indigent patient’s out-of-county emergency care on the county in which the indigent patient resides. The HCRA can be found in Chapter 154, Sections .301 - .331, Florida Statutes, and Rule Chapter 59H-1.001-.015, Florida Administrative Code.