Florida PPEC guide
Florida has a mature PPEC framework with AHCA licensure, Florida Statutes, administrative rules, Medicaid guidance, and public facility lookup resources.
Florida's PPEC model in plain English
In Florida, PPEC centers are licensed non-residential providers for children under 21 who need short-term, long-term, or intermittent medical care due to medically complex conditions. Care is prescribed by a physician and requires parent or guardian consent.
Florida Medicaid covers PPEC services as a carved-out fee-for-service benefit for eligible children enrolled in managed care. Families should verify coverage, authorization requirements, and payer-specific rules directly with the payer and the PPEC center.
This page summarizes public resources. It does not replace AHCA guidance, Medicaid policy, payer instructions, legal advice, or medical judgment. Requirements can change — always confirm with the source.
Core Florida references
These public resources are the best starting points for verifying current Florida PPEC requirements.
Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Centers
AHCA licensure overview, applications, forms, statutes, rules, notices, and related resources for PPEC centers in Florida.
StatuteFlorida Statutes, Chapter 400, Part VI
Definitions and statutory framework, including physician prescription and parent or guardian consent language.
RulesFlorida Administrative Code 59A-13
Administrative rules covering licensure, admissions, nursing services, medical records, infection control, and emergency procedures.
MedicaidFlorida Medicaid PPEC page
Medicaid-facing PPEC overview for children with medically complex conditions.
CoverageFlorida Medicaid PPEC services
Coverage-policy page describing Medicaid reimbursement for non-residential PPEC services.
LookupFloridaHealthFinder facility search
Public lookup for Florida prescribed pediatric extended care centers and facility information.
What families and referral sources should verify
Practical questions to ask before assuming a child can start care.
Is the center licensed?
Confirm the center's licensure status, location, services, and ability to support the child's clinical needs using FloridaHealthFinder or AHCA records.
Is the child medically appropriate?
Review the child's medical complexity, stability, nursing needs, medication needs, and emergency plan with the center and the child's physician.
Has coverage been confirmed?
Verify payer requirements, effective dates, units, service limits, and renewal timing directly with the payer before assuming coverage.
The admission path in Florida
Most PPEC enrollments in Florida follow this general sequence — details vary by center, payer, and the child's clinical situation.
Referral or family inquiry
A family, physician, hospital discharge planner, or care manager asks whether PPEC may be appropriate for the child.
Clinical review by the center
The center reviews diagnoses, skilled needs, medications, equipment, stability, and whether the setting can safely support the child.
Intake packet assembly
Demographics, payer information, physician order, plan of care, clinical records, and supporting documents are gathered.
Authorization and coverage review
The center verifies payer requirements, effective dates, approved hours or units, and renewal timing when authorization is required.
Admission planning
Schedule, transportation, emergency information, medications, family communication, and first-day logistics are confirmed.
Ongoing care and renewals
Orders, care plans, authorizations, attendance, incidents, and renewals must stay current after admission begins.
Continue exploring
A plain-English overview for families, referral sources, and care teams.
FamiliesFamily overviewWhere to start when navigating pediatric day-based healthcare for your child.
EducationDay-based careHow PPEC fits within the broader landscape of pediatric day-based care.
FinderProvider finder policyHow our neutral provider discovery tool works and what it does and does not do.