The News Service of Florida: Florida’s Medicaid Overhaul Quietly Drops Patient Counseling; “People are going to end up being assigned to plans that they don’t want to be in” and will have “no idea how to access services"
The News Service of Florida reports on Florida's elimination of funds meant to help seniors navigate Florida's Medicaid overhaul. “People are going to end up being assigned to plans that they don’t want to be in” and will have “no idea how to access services,’’a local attorney commented.
The measure was spearheaded by Senator Joe Negron, who also sponsored a bill to reduce nursing home staffing:
Florida’s Medicaid Overhaul Drops Patient Counseling
When Florida lawmakers approved a Medicaid overhaul last month, they decided almost all beneficiaries should enroll in HMOs or other types of managed-care plans.
But more quietly, lawmakers also rejected a program aimed at helping beneficiaries navigate the managed-care system.
The overhaul does not include continuing to use a “choice counseling” program to provide information to The state has spent millions of dollars in recent years to pay companies to act as advisors for beneficiaries who have enrolled in managed care beneficiaries about the plans available to them.
Senate Health and Human Service Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said Tuesday that Medicaid beneficiaries are capable of choosing health plans without needing a choice counselor to help them with the details.
“I don’t believe Medicaid recipients need a retinue of intermediaries to make informed decisions,” said Negron, one of the chief architects of the Medicaid changes.
But critics said they think the federal government, which must sign off on the Medicaid overhaul, will require a choice-counseling program. The state Agency for Health Care Administration faces an Aug. 1 deadline for submitting a detailed proposal to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Without choice counseling, Florida Legal Services attorney Anne Swerlick said many beneficiaries would wind up not choosing any managed-care plan. When that happens, the state would make the enrollment decisions for them.
“People are going to end up being assigned to plans that they don’t want to be in” and will have “no idea how to access services,’’ said Swerlick, who closely follows Medicaid issues.
The overhaul, which is spread across two bills, will require almost all Medicaid beneficiaries to enroll in HMOs or other types of managed-care plans by October 2014.
By Jim Saunders
South Florida Home Health Care A Family Member Home Care of South Florida assists seniors families Personal Home Health Care Transferring Walking Dressing Bathing Grooming Companionship Housekeeping Laundry Transportation Meal Preparation Stimulating Activities South Florida hospitals rehab clinics safe transitions in-home health care. Serving Miami-Dade Broward Palm Beach Independent Assisted Living clients Memorial Regional Hospital Broward County Coconut Creek Cooper City Coral Springs Dania Beach Davie Deerfield Beach Fort Lauderdale Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach Hollywood Lauderdale Lakes Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Lauderhill Lazy Lake Lighthouse Point Margate Miramar North Lauderdale Oakland Park Parkland Pembroke Park Pembroke Pines Plantation Pompano Beach Sea Ranch Lakes Southwest Ranches Sunrise Tamarac Weston Wilton Manors Medicare Medicaid Federal Health Care North Broward Hospital District South Broward Hospital District silver sneakers Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Aetna Aventura Bal Harbour Bay Harbor Islands Biscayne Park Coral Gables El Portal Florida City Golden Beach Hialeah Hialeah Gardens Homestead Indian Creek Islandia Key Biscayne Medley Miami Miami Beach Miami Lakes Miami Shores Village Miami Springs North Bay Village North Miami North Miami Beach Opa-locka Pinecrest South Miami Sunny Isles Beach Surfside Sweetwater Virginia Gardens West Miami Atlantis Boca Raton Boynton Beach Briny Breezes Delray Beach Greenacres Highland Beach Hypoluxo Juno Beach Jupiter Lake Clarke Shores Lake Worth Lantana Manalapan Mangonia Park North Palm Beach Ocean Ridge Palm Beach Palm Beach Gardens Palm Beach Shores Palm Springs Riviera Beach Royal Palm Beach South Bay South Palm Beach Tequesta West Palm Beach
The measure was spearheaded by Senator Joe Negron, who also sponsored a bill to reduce nursing home staffing:
Florida’s Medicaid Overhaul Drops Patient Counseling
When Florida lawmakers approved a Medicaid overhaul last month, they decided almost all beneficiaries should enroll in HMOs or other types of managed-care plans.
But more quietly, lawmakers also rejected a program aimed at helping beneficiaries navigate the managed-care system.
The overhaul does not include continuing to use a “choice counseling” program to provide information to The state has spent millions of dollars in recent years to pay companies to act as advisors for beneficiaries who have enrolled in managed care beneficiaries about the plans available to them.
Senate Health and Human Service Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said Tuesday that Medicaid beneficiaries are capable of choosing health plans without needing a choice counselor to help them with the details.
“I don’t believe Medicaid recipients need a retinue of intermediaries to make informed decisions,” said Negron, one of the chief architects of the Medicaid changes.
But critics said they think the federal government, which must sign off on the Medicaid overhaul, will require a choice-counseling program. The state Agency for Health Care Administration faces an Aug. 1 deadline for submitting a detailed proposal to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Without choice counseling, Florida Legal Services attorney Anne Swerlick said many beneficiaries would wind up not choosing any managed-care plan. When that happens, the state would make the enrollment decisions for them.
“People are going to end up being assigned to plans that they don’t want to be in” and will have “no idea how to access services,’’ said Swerlick, who closely follows Medicaid issues.
The overhaul, which is spread across two bills, will require almost all Medicaid beneficiaries to enroll in HMOs or other types of managed-care plans by October 2014.
By Jim Saunders
South Florida Home Health Care A Family Member Home Care of South Florida assists seniors families Personal Home Health Care Transferring Walking Dressing Bathing Grooming Companionship Housekeeping Laundry Transportation Meal Preparation Stimulating Activities South Florida hospitals rehab clinics safe transitions in-home health care. Serving Miami-Dade Broward Palm Beach Independent Assisted Living clients Memorial Regional Hospital Broward County Coconut Creek Cooper City Coral Springs Dania Beach Davie Deerfield Beach Fort Lauderdale Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach Hollywood Lauderdale Lakes Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Lauderhill Lazy Lake Lighthouse Point Margate Miramar North Lauderdale Oakland Park Parkland Pembroke Park Pembroke Pines Plantation Pompano Beach Sea Ranch Lakes Southwest Ranches Sunrise Tamarac Weston Wilton Manors Medicare Medicaid Federal Health Care North Broward Hospital District South Broward Hospital District silver sneakers Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Aetna Aventura Bal Harbour Bay Harbor Islands Biscayne Park Coral Gables El Portal Florida City Golden Beach Hialeah Hialeah Gardens Homestead Indian Creek Islandia Key Biscayne Medley Miami Miami Beach Miami Lakes Miami Shores Village Miami Springs North Bay Village North Miami North Miami Beach Opa-locka Pinecrest South Miami Sunny Isles Beach Surfside Sweetwater Virginia Gardens West Miami Atlantis Boca Raton Boynton Beach Briny Breezes Delray Beach Greenacres Highland Beach Hypoluxo Juno Beach Jupiter Lake Clarke Shores Lake Worth Lantana Manalapan Mangonia Park North Palm Beach Ocean Ridge Palm Beach Palm Beach Gardens Palm Beach Shores Palm Springs Riviera Beach Royal Palm Beach South Bay South Palm Beach Tequesta West Palm Beach
0 comments:
Post a Comment