Kathleen Passidomo: ‘Medicaid expansion is not going to happen in Florida’

St. Vincent’s Medical Center requested arbitration.

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo used her 2024 Session Opening Day remarks to champion her plan to beef up Florida’s health care workforce and make improvements in health care delivery. She also made clear that Medicaid expansion will not be part of her Live Healthy proposal.

Florida is one of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid coverage to low-income childless adults as allowed under the Affordable Care Act, the federal health care law often referred to as Obamacare. House and Senate Democrats have supported the idea of an expansion and Rep. Joel Rudman, a Republican and physician from Navarre, has also come out in favor of expanding Medicaid.

“I understand the arguments both for and against. We’ve had the debate several times over the last decade. Medicaid expansion is not going to happen in Florida. It is not a quick fix. It is not a panacea. In fact, if you cannot actually schedule an appointment with a health care provider, Medicaid expansion is nothing more than a false government promise,” Passidomo said in her Opening Day remarks.

“If we do not take steps now to grow our health care workforce, all Floridians — even those with great insurance, and certainly those on Medicaid — will continue to face barriers to care. My goal is to make sure our health care system is growing and innovating to better serve all Floridians.”

Passidomo spent months developing the Live Healthy proposal talking with constituents and interested parties. Ultimately, Live Healthy will be a compilation of several bills. The initial bill (SB 7016) includes everything from health care pricing transparency to offering up forgivable loans to doctors and nurses who agree to do volunteer health services, to allowing freestanding advanced birthing centers.

Live Healthy aims to bolster Florida’s health care workforce and infrastructure and directs about $870 million to help get it done.

Of that amount, $571.2 million would help increase the rates the state pays providers to treat the poor, elderly and disabled who rely on the safety net program. The biggest chunk of change — $195.8 million — would help increase the rates for home- and community-based providers. Another $152 million would be targeted to improve maternal care in labor and delivery. Statutory teaching hospitals that provide residencies in specialized tertiary care are in line for a $100 million rate bump.

Live Healthy also targets $70 million to expand graduate medical education (GME) programs. The proposal will increase residencies in the “Slots for Doctors Program.” Touted by the Florida Medical Association, the GME program allocates $100,000 annually for residency positions in an initial or established accredited residency program. All hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers are eligible for “Slots for Docs” funding.

SB 7018 is also part of the Live Healthy initiative. The bill establishes a $75 million pot to fund a low-interest health care innovation loan program: The grants will allow providers, such as rural hospitals and nursing homes, to bring innovation to their facilities, patients and residents.

Sen. Gayle Harrell says the intent is for the program to be funded at $75 million annually over 10 years, or a $750 million investment. The Live Healthy Innovation Council will be charged with developing the rules and implementing the loan program.

Passidomo referenced other measuress that she considers part of the Live Healthy initiative, including a bill by Sen. Jay Collins that would establish a pathway for out-of-state providers moving to Florida, as well as a bill (SB 330) by Sen. Jim Boyd to establish behavioral health teaching hospitals.

Passidomo also noted that Collins will be working on a price transparency measure, which is important to House Speaker Paul Renner, and that Jason Brodeur will have legislation to “expand services to Floridians with disabilities.”

“This is a robust package of bills. It is complex, but critically important. In order to care for our growing population and meet the increased demand for health care, we must expand our workforce, increase efficiencies and elevate quality. I look forward to continued feedback and suggestions from the entire Senate,” Passidomo said.