Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorJune 23, 2016

It’s been a difficult and emotional week for many of us, but nothing can compare to the grief and sorrow experienced by the family and friends who lost loved ones in the Orlando massacre. I had the opportunity to visit Orlando last weekend to pay my respects, and was moved by the courage of the […]

Mitch PerryJune 2, 2016

The group U.S. Term Limits, which bills itself as the leader of the grassroots movement to install term limits in Congress, is bashing Florida Senate candidates Todd Wilcox and Carlos Beruff for their specific plans on how long a member of Congress can serve in Washington before being term-limited out. U.S. Term Limits says the two Republicans term-limit proposals are a “sham designed to […]

Peter SchorschMarch 26, 2016

Easter – like the 2016 Legislative Session – came early this year. Feels weird to have it be all over in March, right? The moveable feast dates back to the mid-2nd century A.D. on the Christian calendar and celebrates a redemption and rebirth that Capitol-going advocates of some issues – say, Transportation Network Companies legislation or campus carry – will […]

Jim RosicaMarch 2, 2016

The Florida House of Representatives Wednesday passed its version of a measure aimed at protecting patients from the practice of “balance billing.” The bill (HB 221) was approved by an 116-1 vote, with only state Rep. Julio Gonzalez in opposition. The Venice Republican is an orthopedic surgeon. The legislation was a priority of CFO Jeff Atwater, who opposes […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 25, 2016

Today in the Orlando Sentinel, an emergency room physician by the name of Jay L. Falk, on behalf of the Florida College of Emergency Physicians (FCEP), wrote a column titled, “Emergency Physicians Seek Solutions To Fair Treatment,” in support of a balance billing fix. Dr. Falk, like everyone else, wants to hold patients harmless. He suggests that the […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 22, 2016

Brandon state Sen. Tom Lee, conspicuously missing on a list last fall of Florida state senators backing Jeb Bush‘s presidential aspirations, said Monday he’s foursquare behind Marco Rubio for the GOP presidential nomination. “Beyond being a good friend, Marco Rubio is a committed conservative leader with a unrivaled record of accomplishment in Florida and Washington,” Lee said […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 16, 2016

The Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved a proposal (SB 1442) that bans the practice of balance billing. The proposal, sponsored by Sen. Rene Garcia, is backed by CFO Jeff Atwater, who has said he wants consumers to pay no more than that what they would pay had they been in-network. Audrey Brown, president […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 16, 2016

A Senate panel on Tuesday OK’d a measure that would ban the practice of “balance billing,” when insurance companies often unexpectedly slam a customer with a high bill for using an out-of-network health care provider. The measure (SB 1442), carried by GOP state Sen. Rene Garcia of Hialeah, now moves from the Banking and Insurance […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 8, 2016

A group pushing to get the Commissioner of Education post to back on Florida ballots unleashed a web page Monday that’ll help voters bug every lawmaker in the state. Fund Education Now created the page so Floridians could urge their representative to vote for HB 767, sponsored by Vero Beach Republican Rep. Debbie Mayfield, which […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 1, 2016

Bills that would iron out rules for direct primary care contracts and encourage healthcare companies to give free health care to low-income Floridians passed the Senate Committee on Health Policy Monday. SB 1144, sponsored by Niceville Republican Sen. Don Gaetz, would allow new medical facilities to bypass a lengthy review process known as “certificate of […]

Tag: Rene Garcia

Rene Garcia: Stakes too high for rhetoric in addressing mass shooting epidemic

Term limits group slams Todd Wilcox and Carlos Beruff for their stance on the issue

Easter & Passover, as brought to you by these Florida lobbyists and political associations

House passes balance billing fix

Balance billing: Someone didn’t get the memo

Tom Lee is now backing Marco Rubio for president

Capitol Reax: Balanced billing, incentives

Balance billing measure clears 2nd Senate panel

Advocates of elected Education Commissioner launch website to “bug” lawmakers

Senate committee passes 2 key bills expanding health care access