Will a “Free From Communicable Disease” Health Statement Pass an AHCA Survey?

Will a “Free From Communicable Disease” Health Statement Pass an AHCA Survey?

If you’ve been in Florida home care long enough, you’ve probably faced this situation.

A caregiver submits a health statement, but you are not sure it includes what the Nurse Registry State Regs require.

And the question immediately comes up:
Will this pass in AHCA’s eyes when we’re surveyed?

This is not a theoretical concern. Recently, a long-standing, deficiency-free provider raised this exact question after receiving a communicable disease statement from MyHealthForm.com for the first time.

Their concern was reasonable and responsible. They had been cited years ago for an improper health statement (completed by a chiropractor), completed a plan of correction, and now carefully verify providers before accepting any form.

Their question reflects what many nurse registries and agencies are quietly asking.

Why Communicable Disease Statements Vary So Much

One of the biggest sources of confusion is that health statements are issued by many different types of providers, each operating under their own internal policies.

Walk-in clinics often default to mandatory TB testing.
Primary care offices may not.
Occupational health clinics frequently use risk-based screening tools.

These differences are driven by clinic policy, not by AHCA statute.

Tuberculosis is only one of many communicable diseases, but it often becomes the focal point because some clinics automatically test for it. That does not mean TB testing is universally required under Florida nurse registry rules. In fact, TB testing is not even mentioned under the current Nurse Registry rules specifically.

What Florida Law Actually Requires

For nurse registries, the governing language is found in:

• ST-G0151 – Communicable Disease Screening
• 59A-18.005(6), Florida Administrative Code
• 400.506(6)(a), Florida Statutes

The requirement is straightforward.

The registry must maintain a current statement from a qualifying healthcare professional that the caregiver is free from communicable disease.

That is the requirement.

The statute does not specify TB testing.
It does not mandate a physical exam.
It does not dictate how the healthcare professional reaches their determination.

Those decisions are left to the licensed professional issuing the statement.

A compliant process should follow the statute exactly as written, no more and no less.

Why “Free From Communicable Disease” Language Matters

Many walk-in clinics and providers issue general “fit for work” or “seen and cleared” notes. These often do not include the specific language required by nurse registry rules.

For registries, the key is not where the form came from, but whether it clearly states that the caregiver is free from communicable disease and meets the timing and credentialing requirements.

If that language is missing, the document may not satisfy AHCA expectations, even if testing was performed.

Understanding Disclaimer Language

You may see disclaimer language on a MyHealthForm,.com document. Disclaimer language can make providers uneasy, but it should not.

Any screening process, whether done in a clinic, hospital, or occupational health setting, has limitations. Disclaimers exist to acknowledge that reality. They do not negate the determination itself.

A disclaimer does not invalidate a health statement when the required regulatory elements are present and clearly documented.

What AHCA Surveyors Look For (ST-G0151)

During an AHCA survey, communicable disease compliance is reviewed under ST-G0151 – Communicable Disease.

When surveyors evaluate compliance with this G-Tag, they are not assessing medical philosophy or clinic preference. They are assessing whether the registry met its regulatory obligations.

Consistently, surveyors look for:

• A statement signed by a qualifying healthcare professional
• Proper credentialing of the signer
• A statement dated within the last six months
• Clear “free from communicable disease” language
• Documentation on file prior to referral

Those are the elements that result in compliance or citation under ST-G0151.

MyHealthForm.com can also produce a defined screening protocol, established pursuant to physician oversight to answer AHCA surveyor questions if documentation ever needs to be reviewed more closely.

Provider Verification and Additional Safeguards

Verifying providers before accepting health statements is a smart practice, and one many registries adopt after hard-earned experience.

Health statements issued by licensed professionals acting pursuant to a physician-established protocol are explicitly permitted under Florida rules and often stand on firmer ground than informal walk-in clinic notes.

Additional safeguards, such as the ability to confirm certificates directly and verify they are current and unaltered, further reduce compliance risk and support survey readiness.

The Bigger Compliance Picture

Compliance is not about over-testing or adding requirements that do not exist in the rule. It is about understanding what the statute actually requires and ensuring your documentation meets those standards.

Reasonable questions from experienced providers are a good thing. They reflect a shared goal of protecting clients, caregivers, and businesses while remaining aligned with AHCA expectations.

When in doubt, clarity beats assumption.

Know the rule.
Follow it precisely.
Document it well.

That is how registries remain compliant, confident, and survey-ready under ST-G0151.