Florida Medical Association Seeks Immediate Lift of Executive Order 20-72

The Florida Medical Association (FMA) today sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis requesting he lift Executive Order 20-72, Non-essential Elective Medical Procedures, issued on March 20, 2020.

The letter, signed by Ronald F. Giffler, MD, JD, MBA and president of the Florida Medical Association shares that the primary purpose of this order was to “conserve all medical supplies, including personal protective equipment, to only that which is necessary to be used in response to this emergency or for any other medical event of urgent or emergent nature.”

Further, “As this order has served its purpose, the FMA respectfully requests that you follow the recommendations of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and lift Executive Order 20-72 in the regions of Florida with low and stable incidence of COVID-19,” writes Dr. Giffler. 

“It is essential that Florida physicians get back to seeing patients as soon as it safe for them to do so. Patients needing joint surgeries to alleviate chronic pain have been put on hold, and there are patients with serious medical conditions that need treatment who elect not to go to the hospital or their doctor’s office due to the “safer at home” order,” Dr. Giffler continues. “Many of the physician practices that would deal with this pent-up demand have seen their revenues plunge and face imminent closure. It is essential for the health and safety of all Floridians that the state do all it can to keep these practices open.”

To read the entire letter, click here.