Nurse Practitioner Credentialing in Florida

Florida nurse practitioners operate under a restricted practice model requiring physician supervision, which significantly impacts credentialing timelines and payer requirements. Florida NPs must maintain a Protocol Agreement (the Florida equivalent of a Collaborative Practice Agreement) with a supervising physician, and this agreement must be submitted with most payer credentialing applications. The Florida Board of Nursing issues APRN licenses, and Florida NPs seeking prescriptive authority for controlled substances must obtain a separate Florida Controlled Substance Prescribing certification. Florida Blue requires Protocol Agreement documentation and verifies physician supervisor credentials as part of its NP credentialing process. Florida Medicaid managed care plans credential NPs as primary care providers, but the Protocol Agreement must list a physician who is also Medicaid-enrolled. Florida's large Medicare Advantage market means NPs who want to see MA patients must credential with Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and Aetna MA plans in addition to their Medicare enrollment, each requiring separate applications and timelines.