Phil Ammann
A Miami federal judge has agreed to a hearing date for the settlement of a decade-old class-action lawsuit over children’s Medicaid services in Florida.
LobbyTools reports that Friday the judge set a June 28 hearing to formally consider the settlement in a suit that seeks to increase medical and dental services to nearly 2 million Florida children.
Pediatricians are hopeful the state will honor its agreement.
“Like any settlement, it’s a compromise,” says attorney Carl Goldfarb, who represents pediatricians. “Both sides gave certain things up. But we think it’s in the best interest of the children of the state and we think it will improve their access to care.”
Doctors and dentists brought the suit more than a decade ago, arguing that low Medicaid reimbursements in Florida denied preventative care to as many as 500,000 children.
The settlement mandates the state to give significantly higher payments. However, LobbyTools notes that other specialists who participate in the Medicaid program may not comparable increases.
