New Florida Law Increases Penalties For Abusive Addiction Treatment Marketing

On July 1, 2017, a new Florida law went into effect to increase penalties for fraudulent patient brokering and deceptive marketing practices for addiction treatment provider organizations and recovery residences. The law authorizes state entities to investigate and prosecute patient brokering offenses, particularly related to the economic relationship between service providers and recovery residences. Brokering more than 20 patients will be a first-degree felony, subject to a fine of $500,000.

The illegal practices targeted by this legislation include the following:

Deceptive marketing tactics, such as hijacking the names and reputations of notable addiction treatment provider organizations and rerouting . . .