Federal government Approves Florida's sweeping Medicaid 1115 waiver for another 30 days.
The Florida Current updates on Florida's Medicaid waiver situation:
Florida's sweeping Medicaid waiver gets 30-day extension
Christine Jordan Sexton, 6/29/2011
The federal government on Wednesday approved Florida's sweeping Medicaid 1115 waiver for another 30 days. The move gives Florida an additional month to convince the federal government to approve the waiver allowing the state to sidestep many of the federal rules and regulations that govern the health care program for the poor, elderly and disabled.
Victoria Wachino, a director in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services sent Florida Deputy Secretary for Medicaid Roberta Bradford a three-paragraph approval letter on June 28. In it, Wachino agrees to extend the waiver through July 31, and advises Bradford that her staff “appreciate[s] the time” that AHCA has “dedicated to the renewal process.” Wachino said she looks forward to working with Bradford to “finalize the extension of the Florida Medicaid Reform Demonstration.”
The state has been negotiating with the federal government for nearly a year on the waiver renewal. Bradford sent a letter to the federal government on June 20, requesting the 30-day extension.
In the June 20 letter, Bradford said the extension will “ensure continued service delivery to Medicaid recipients.”
The Medicaid 1115 waiver makes possible a five-county demonstration project launched by former Gov. Jeb Bush. The program was never expanded statewide by the Legislature, and in 2011 lawmakers passed a Medicaid overhaul that will bring the experiment with managed care to an end by 2014 when the new program takes effect, if approved by the federal government.
The waiver also makes possible an annual $1 billion Low Income Pool program. LIP dollars in Florida are used to help shore up Medicaid reimbursements for hospitals that treat the poor, elderly and disabled.
Dee Schaeffer, government affairs officer for Halifax Health in Daytona Beach, said the extension is "good news" because it continues the LIP program. She said it also provides additional time for the Agency for Healthcare Administration and CMS to continue to discuss terms for a lengthier extension of the current waiver while the request for [a new waiver] "is pending review and approval."
The Medicaid overhaul passed by the Legislature this year requires additional Medicaid waivers, which must be submitted by August 1.
Florida CHAIN, a grassroots, statewide health care advocacy group, called the approval "inconsequential."
If CMS had not issued a temporary extension and the waiver expired, the entire Medicaid system as currently operated in the five pilot counties would be in violation of federal law," said Florida CHAIN policy director Greg Melowe. "The level of chaos and disruption in access to care would be catastrophic ... No one could possibly have expected CMS to do anything other than exactly what they did."
Bills related to this story:HB 7107 Relating to Medicaid Managed Care (Health & Human Services Committee)
6/02/11 Approved by Governor; Chapter No. 2011-134
6/9/11 Bill to Be Discussed During the Office of EDR's Revenue Estimating Impact Conference;
6/17/11, 9:00 am, 117 K (No Votes Will Be Taken)
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