Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Christine Jordan SextonApril 16, 2015

Jeb Bush‘s former health care czar said Florida should take the Medicaid expansion dollars to provide health care access to the poor. However, in a FaceBook post former Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Alan Levine also said he thought the federal government was “overplaying its hand in Florida” by threatening to end the supplemental […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 15, 2015

The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee voted 8-1 to approve Liz Dudek‘s appointment as head of the state Agency for Health Care Administration but only after she answered more than an hour’s worth of questions regarding Low Income Pool funding, Medicaid expansion and how negotiations are evolving with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 15, 2015

One day after receiving a letter from the federal government advising that uncompensated care pools were not a wise use of federal tax payer dollars, Florida’s leading Medicaid official fired off a letter Wednesday to the Department of Health and Human Services accusing the federal government of coercing Florida into expanding its Medicaid program. The […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 15, 2015

Six Republicans in Florida’s congressional delegation sent a letter to the acing director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on April 14 saying that supplemental Medicaid funding should not be held “hostage” for a statewide expansion of Medicaid. The letter — singed by US Senator Marco Rubio and Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Congressman Curt […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 8, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday said the state of Florida did not cut off negotiations with the federal government and put blame for the Medicaid meltdown on the federal government instead. Scott told a group of reporters Wednesday afternoon that negotiators with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told Medicaid Deputy Director Justin Senior […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 25, 2015

Budget chief Sen. Tom Lee said on Wednesday that tax cuts and member projects will be put on hold in the Senate until there is a resolution of whether Florida will receive additional Medicaid supplemental funding to help pay hospitals, federally qualified health centers and Medicaid HMOs. After a marathon seven-plus-hour meeting where the committee […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 23, 2015

In hopes of hanging on to a $2 billion pool of supplemental Medicaid dollars the state uses to help fund hospitals, federally qualified health centers, HMOs and other parts of Florida’s health care delivery system, the Senate late last week proposed a new plan that it hopes the federal government will approve. So, just how […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 19, 2015

The Senate on Thursday will propose an alternative Low Income Pool model that would use supplemental Medicaid dollars to increase the base rates all hospitals are paid to treat the poor, elderly disabled, uninsured, and underinsured. The new modified LIP plan would still give the the major local contributors to the LIP program a healthy […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 17, 2015

Florida’s top Medicaid official said on Tuesday he wants to have a tentative agreement with the federal government on how much Florida can expect to receive in supplemental Medicaid dollars by early to mid April. Deputy Secretary for Medicaid Justin Senior told Florida Politics that the plan is to have a letter of agreement outlining broad principles […]

Christine Jordan SextonFebruary 10, 2015

Day 2 of the Health Care Affordability Summit in Orlando is slated for only half a day but the lineup packs a punch. Here are three things to look for: A discussion on the future of the $2 billion Low Income Pool. The keynote address will be delivered by Elliot Fishman, director of the Children […]

Former Jeb Bush health care czar says he’d expand Medicaid coverage

Senate grills, then confirms, AHCA Secretary Liz Dudek

Top Medicaid official warns feds not to “coerce” state into expansion

Congressional Republicans send letter to to Feds: Don’t hold LIP hostage

Rick Scott says feds told state, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you” on LIP talks

No supplemental Medicaid dollars? Then no tax breaks says Senate budget chief

How do hopsitals fare under new Senate plan? Check and see ….

Senate’s new LIP model increases base rates for all hospitals

State Medicaid chief wants tentative agreement with feds by mid-April

3 things to look for on Day 2 of Health Care Affordability Summit