Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Marc YachtJune 17, 2015

The Florida House’s rejection of Medicaid expansion money affects more than just the poor. A recent Tampa Bay Times editorial outlined 25 reasons to accept the federal money. Because of House members’ rejection, 800,000 low-income Floridians are now shut out of health care coverage. Many working poor who now pay high premiums for Obamacare face […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 16, 2015

More than $300 million in additional revenue was plowed into the budget late Monday night but, apparently, leaders did not agree to spending any more money on Medicaid. That’s a disappointment to the managed care plans participating in Florida’s mandatory Medicaid managed care program. They were hoping for an increase of $57 million in “grants […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 15, 2015

House Republicans earlier this month rejected a Senate proposal to extend health coverage after a bitterly divisive debate that last nearly seven hours. House leaders such as Rep. Jason Brodeur and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli contended a better way was to fix other problems with the state’s health care laws. The answer from the Senate? […]

Julie DelegalJune 15, 2015

State Rep. Mia Jones tried. In the spirit of compromise, the Democrat from Jacksonville moved right to embrace the health care-expansion plan backed by the Florida Senate: the Florida Healthcare Affordability Insurance Exchange, aka FHIX. Jones told The Jacksonville Times-Union that she had set aside her doubts about the plan and would “stand on the […]

Guest AuthorJune 15, 2015

One of the great advantages of the universe as well as one of its biggest problems is that everything is connected to something. From the forces that act on the tiniest subatomic particle to the most massive of planets, nothing works apart from everything. Nothing exists entirely within a vacuum, completely unaffected by anything around […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 12, 2015

Legislative leaders on Friday said the House and Senate budget chairs would continue to work over the weekend in order to bring the General Appropriations Act in for a landing. The goal is for a copy of the budget to be on lawmakers’ desks by Tuesday so they can wait the mandated 72 hours before […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 9, 2015

During the contentious debate over Medicaid expansion top Republicans in the Florida House railed against hospitals as special interests and part of the “health care industrial complex.” Now the House is taking its battle against hospitals on multiple fronts, including trying to revive a little-noticed bill from the 2015 Regular session that cracks down on […]

Daniel TilsonJune 9, 2015

Shirley dragged long and hard on her lipstick-stained cigarette. She alternated between shaking and nodding her head while listening to new friend Toni talk trash about politicians. “They did it again, threw us under the bus. They don’t know us, they don’t give a damn about us, we’re just bugs on their windshield, that’s all, […]

Melissa RossJune 8, 2015

As Florida legislators try to iron out their differences over the state’s major budget items, advocates for Florida’s nearly 1 million uninsured are speaking out about Friday’s House vote rejecting the Senate’s Medicaide expansion compromise. “It really is kind of a dire situation,” said Sarah Sullivan, director of Florida Coastal School of Law’s Disability and Public […]

Christine Jordan SextonJune 8, 2015

As lawmakers work on a 2015-16 spending plan with a $1 billion Low Income Pool for health care spending, Gov. Rick Scott continues to push for more money and is looking to the courts to help him get it. On Monday, attorneys for the governor filed a five-page motion with the federal court in Pensacola […]

Tag: Medicaid
Golf ball and golf club in bag on green grass

Marc Yacht: Universal health care access must come to U.S.

Lots added to budget but not more money for Medicaid HMOs

Steve Crisafulli downplays Senate rejection of House health care proposals

Julie Delegal: Health care defeated by politics of personal resentment

Gary Stein: 6 degrees of health care is no idle game

Everybody’s working over the weekend, really

A $30 million hospital issue could get tucked into Medicaid conforming bill

Daniel Tilson: Florida's uninsured left standing in the shadow of hopelessness

“It really is a dire situation,” say advocates for state’s uninsured

Rick Scott demands mediation in Medicaid lawsuit with feds as lawmakers craft budget