Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Christine Jordan SextonJune 23, 2015

Just hours after Gov. Rick Scott quietly signed a state spending plan into effect, the federal government gave Florida a long-awaited “agreement in principle” letter that all but formalizes an agreement between Florida and the federal government on hospital funding for the next year. The coveted agreement, which the state had hoped to secure in April […]

Phil AmmannMay 22, 2015

Speaker Steve Crisafulli says the Florida House can start passing a budget in June, now that the state could receive disputed federal healthcare money this year. Thursday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent a letter to the state Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) indicating it will provide Low-Income Pool (LIP) funding for the […]

Bob SparksApril 30, 2015

What a week. First, Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Florida is suing the Obama administration over the Medicaid expansion issue. Then, we witnessed some remarkable political gamesmanship when the House adjourned three days early. The words “insurmountable differences” on the budget and Medicaid expansion accompanied the banging gavel in the House […]

James CallApril 22, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott met Wednesday with senators to discuss moving forward with budget negotiations. Scott used an Agency for Health Care Administration study listing the profit margins for hospitals. Budget negotiations have derailed over a plan to use Medicaid money to make up for the loss of revenue when the federal government ends a reimbursement […]

Guest AuthorMarch 29, 2015

The uncertain future of Medicaid financing has received much attention during the past few weeks of the legislative session. Adding to that uncertainty is an unhealthy dose of speculation and misinformation about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and federal reliability. As chairman of the Florida Senate’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Appropriations […]

James CallMarch 18, 2015

The Senate Appropriations Chairman is drawing a line in the sand. Sen. Tom Lee wants clarity on health care spending before moving forward on building a budget, and both Sen. Aaron Bean and Sen. Renee Garcia are looking for the money to help him produce a balanced spending plan. The federal Low Income Pool program expires in June, and the more than […]

Guest AuthorMarch 11, 2015

I’ve often heard the saying that “those who refuse to study history are destined to repeat it.” Well, what about those who refuse to examine the present? Recently, the director of the Children and Adults Health Programs in the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) at CMS revealed what those of us in the world of […]

Guest AuthorMarch 10, 2015

I’ve often heard the saying that “those who refuse to study history are destined to repeat it.” Well, what about those who refuse to examine the present? Recently, the director of the Children and Adults Health Programs in the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) at CMS revealed what those of us in the world of […]

Mitch PerryMarch 5, 2015

Florida will be short nearly 7,000 doctors by 2025 if more residency programs are not created throughout the state to keep up with demand, according to a study released by the Florida Safety Net Hospital Alliance and the Teaching Hospital Council last month. Physicians trained in psychiatry, general surgery, rheumatology, cancer treatment, and thoracic surgery will likely […]

Mitch PerryMarch 4, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday that if the state and the federal government can’t come to an agreement on Florida’s Low Income Pool (LIP) program, he won’t supplement the program with state funds. “Florida taxpayers fund our federal government and deserve to get a return on their investment,” Scott wrote in a letter to President Barack […]

Tag: CMS

Budget signed, LIP deal formalized (sort of), health care done for now

Steve Crisafulli says House can now pass budget, after feds change mind on LIP

Bob Sparks: Do new statements jump-start budget negotiations?

Governor gaggles with reporters on hospital profits

Rene Garcia: Setting the record straight on Florida's Medicaid program

Five minutes with Tom Lee — Talk of playing cards while building a budget

Sal Nuzzo: We who oppose federal socialized medicine salute you!

Sal Nuzzo: We who oppose federal socialized medicine salute you!

Kathy Castor teams up with Republican to address looming doctor shortage

Kathy Castor on LIP program and observing the ACA on trial at the Supreme Court