Florida Senator Nan Rich Asks Feds to "Just Say No" to Florida's Failed Medicare Overhaul
The Florida Current reported last week that, in an effort to stop the State of Florida's plan to force seniors, disabled and poor into an HMO plan that has already failed, State Senator Nan Rich sent a two-page letter to U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking that the federal government “reject any requests submitted by the state of Florida to implement statewide managed care of Medicaid.”
To send your support for Senator Rich's letter to your state and federal legislators, as well as to Secretary Sebelius, see the hyperlinks below:
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Above: State Senator Nan Rich speaks out against Florida's failed policies against seniors (Photo Credit: Ana Goni-Lessan)
One week after the state wrapped up the requisite public meetings on a new Medicaid overhaul the Senate Minority Leader sent a letter to the federal government asking that it reject the waivers the state needs to make it all happen.
While the new overhaul replaces the reform plan there are similar features between the two, namely the requirement that patients enroll in managed care plans. Rich said the testimony from patients in the five county pilot program reflects that the experiment was a failure.
“People have been outraged about the failed corporate takeover of Medicaid in the experiment counties for years, now we see that citizens across the state don't want to subject poor kids, disabled and seniors to a plan that puts HMOs before patients and jeopardizes access to healthcare they desperately need,” said Laura Goodhue, CHAIN spokesperson. "I believe Washington is listening to how Florida really feels about this.”
The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature this past spring rejected a grant from the federal government to implement a program aimed at moving people from institutional care, such as nursing homes, and allowing them to live in the community.
Two months later, though, a legislative spending panel called the Legislative Budget Commission is set to reconsider the program, called Money Follows the Person.
Meeting in Tallahassee on Friday the LBC will consider approving a $2 million budget amendment that allows the Agency for Health Care Administration to begin planning for the program, which was first passed by Congress in 2005 and reauthorized through 2016 via the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Florida is one of 13 states that received the demonstration grant. In all, Florida is slated to receive nearly $36 million in grant money over a five year period if lawmakers go along.
The House this spring rejected including the money in the new state budget, saying the program was part of the federal health care reform law that Florida was challenging in federal court.
Katherine Betta, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Dean Cannon, said that the House still is reviewing the program and that a final decision had not been made on whether it would be approved. To be eligible for the program a person must have resided in a nursing home for at least 90 consecutive days.
Rep. Matt Hudson, though, knows he hasn’t changed his mind since the spring and he told the Florida Tribune he planned on voting against the amendment at the meeting.
“I know where I stand on it,” said Hudson, R-Naples, and chairman of the House Health Care Appropriations subcommittee. “My opinion hasn’t changed since I first rejected it.”
Attempts to contact Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring and chairman of the commission were unsuccessful.
But Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, said she had been in contact with Grimsley and Sen. J.D. Alexander, R- Lake Wales, and that she thought the amendment would be approved.
“My assumption,” Rich said, “is it’s okay.”
To send your support for Senator Rich's letter to your state and federal legislators, as well as to Secretary Sebelius, see the hyperlinks below:
- Email for Secretary Sebelius: Kathleen.Sebelius@hhs.gov
- Find your Florida and Federal Legislator: http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/Find
Above: State Senator Nan Rich speaks out against Florida's failed policies against seniors (Photo Credit: Ana Goni-Lessan)
Christine Jordan Sexton, 6/23/2011
One week after the state wrapped up the requisite public meetings on a new Medicaid overhaul the Senate Minority Leader sent a letter to the federal government asking that it reject the waivers the state needs to make it all happen.
Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, sent a two-page letter to U.S. Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asking that the federal government “reject any requests submitted by the state of Florida to implement statewide managed care of Medicaid.”
In her letter Rich said that the entire Legislature shares the goals of saving taxpayers money and improving the efficiency of the health care provided through the Medicaid program.
“Forcing Florida’s Medicaid consumers into HMOs won’t achieve either of these goals,” she said in the June 23 letter.
Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature passed the overhaul of the $22 billion Medicaid program earlier this year. The plan must pass muster with the federal government before it can be put in place.
She noted that there were aspects of the overhaul that were “particularly troubling and should give you pause as you consider these proposals.”
Specifically Rich cited the fact that there is no medical loss requirement (MLR) in the new Medicaid overhaul and the new co-payments for Medicaid patients, specifically a $100 co-payment for emergency room visits.
Specifically Rich cited the fact that there is no medical loss requirement (MLR) in the new Medicaid overhaul and the new co-payments for Medicaid patients, specifically a $100 co-payment for emergency room visits.
“This is a tremendously burdensome amount of money for the low income population that relies on Medicaid,” she wrote.
The Medicaid overhaul passed by the Legislature in 2011 will supplant a Medicaid Reform plan Florida began in 2005 in five pilot counties. The Legislature refused to expand the pilot program beyond the five counties of Broward, Duval, Clay, Baker and Nassau.
The 2011 overhaul would require most Medicaid patients to enroll in a managed care plan. The state would then competitively bid the Medicaid business to a set number of managed care plans in 11 different regions.
While the new overhaul replaces the reform plan there are similar features between the two, namely the requirement that patients enroll in managed care plans. Rich said the testimony from patients in the five county pilot program reflects that the experiment was a failure.
Rich’s letter was met with praise from Florida CHAIN, a grassroots advocacy group that promotes universal health care access.
“People have been outraged about the failed corporate takeover of Medicaid in the experiment counties for years, now we see that citizens across the state don't want to subject poor kids, disabled and seniors to a plan that puts HMOs before patients and jeopardizes access to healthcare they desperately need,” said Laura Goodhue, CHAIN spokesperson. "I believe Washington is listening to how Florida really feels about this.”
Christine Jordan Sexton, 6/23/2011
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The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature this past spring rejected a grant from the federal government to implement a program aimed at moving people from institutional care, such as nursing homes, and allowing them to live in the community.
Two months later, though, a legislative spending panel called the Legislative Budget Commission is set to reconsider the program, called Money Follows the Person.
Meeting in Tallahassee on Friday the LBC will consider approving a $2 million budget amendment that allows the Agency for Health Care Administration to begin planning for the program, which was first passed by Congress in 2005 and reauthorized through 2016 via the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Florida is one of 13 states that received the demonstration grant. In all, Florida is slated to receive nearly $36 million in grant money over a five year period if lawmakers go along.
The House this spring rejected including the money in the new state budget, saying the program was part of the federal health care reform law that Florida was challenging in federal court.
Katherine Betta, a spokeswoman for House Speaker Dean Cannon, said that the House still is reviewing the program and that a final decision had not been made on whether it would be approved. To be eligible for the program a person must have resided in a nursing home for at least 90 consecutive days.
Rep. Matt Hudson, though, knows he hasn’t changed his mind since the spring and he told the Florida Tribune he planned on voting against the amendment at the meeting.
“I know where I stand on it,” said Hudson, R-Naples, and chairman of the House Health Care Appropriations subcommittee. “My opinion hasn’t changed since I first rejected it.”
Attempts to contact Rep. Denise Grimsley, R-Sebring and chairman of the commission were unsuccessful.
But Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, said she had been in contact with Grimsley and Sen. J.D. Alexander, R- Lake Wales, and that she thought the amendment would be approved.
“My assumption,” Rich said, “is it’s okay.”
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