Case Name: HIGHLANDS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, et al., Appellants, v. DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, et al., Appellees; SOUTHEAST VOLUSIA HOSPITAL DISTRICT, et al., Apellants, v. DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, et al., Appellees
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1984-05-29
Citations: 452 So. 2d 91
Docket Number: Nos. AS-52, AU-134
Parties: HIGHLANDS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, et al., Appellants, v. DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, et al., Appellees. SOUTHEAST VOLUSIA HOSPITAL DISTRICT, et al., Apellants, v. DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, et al., Appellees.
Judges: BARFIELD, J., concurs.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 452
Pages: 91–92

Head Matter:
HIGHLANDS COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT, et al., Appellants, v. DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, et al., Appellees. SOUTHEAST VOLUSIA HOSPITAL DISTRICT, et al., Apellants, v. DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, et al., Appellees.
Nos. AS-52, AU-134.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
May 29, 1984.
Rehearing Denied July 5, 1984.
Peter J. Winders and Jacob D. Varn, of Carlton, Fields, Ward, Emmanuel, Smith & Cutler, Tampa; John D. Buchanan, Jr., of Henry, Buchanan, Mick & English, Tallahassee; and Adams, Ward, Hunter, An-gones & Adams, Miami, for appellants Highlands County Hospital District, et al.
G. Bruce Hill, of Adams, Hill & Fulford, Orlando; Scott R. McMillen, of Mateer, Harbert, Bechtel & Phalin, Orlando; and Ben H. Wilkinson, Neil H. Butler and Cathi C. O’Halloran, of Pennington, Wilkinson & Dunlap, Tallahassee, for appellants Southeast Volusia Hospital District, et al.
David A. Yon, Legal Department, Department of Insurance, Tallahassee, for ap-pellee Department of Insurance.
Richard B. Collins and Craig A. Dennis, of Perkins & Collins, Tallahassee; Talbot D’Alemberte and Jeffrey B. Crockett, of Steel, Hector & Davis, Miami, for appellee Florida Patient’s Compensation Fund.

Opinion:
THOMPSON, Judge.
This is an appeal by a number of hospitals from an order of the Department of Insurance (Department) denying a request by the hospitals that the Department conduct a formal administrative hearing for the purpose of setting additional fees to be charged by the Florida Patients' Compensation Fund (Fund), § 768.54, Fla.Stat., for the fiscal years 1976-77 and 1979-80, consolidated with an appeal from an order of the Department levying assessments against the hospitals and other fund members for the fiscal years 1976-77 and 1979-80. The hospitals contend they were entitled to notice and an opportunity to be heard regarding the setting of additional fees and that the Department did not set actuarially sound additional fees for the fiscal years 1976-77 and 1979-80. We affirm.
Although we agree with the hospitals that they were entitled to notice and an opportunity to be heard before additional fees for each fiscal year are determined by the Insurance Commissioner (Commissioner), we find that the hospitals are barred by laches from raising these issues at this late date. Due process requires that notice and an opportunity to be heard be given to parties before additional fees or assessments are determined by the Commissioner but these rights must be promptly asserted. There is no evidence that any of the hospitals timely requested a hearing nor that any of them timely attempted to bring an independent action to compel a hearing. The hospitals may have sustained damage but to give them the relief they seek now would adversely affect and result in an injustice to many other parties, including other Fund members and medical malpractice claimants, as a result of the hospitals' neglect to timely act.
AFFIRMED.
BARFIELD, J., concurs.
ERVIN, C.J., specially concurs.