Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 16, 2015

Legislative heavyweights lined up outside the third floor Capitol clinic on Monday. The four most influential legislators in health care — Reps. Jason Brodeur and Matt Hudson and Sens. Rene Garcia and Aaron Bean — weren’t talking Low Income Pool, telemedicine, Medicaid expansion, or any other health care issues, though. They lined up to weigh in and compete in the 2015 Biggest […]

Mitch PerryMarch 12, 2015

Although many people in Tampa are hoping a Cuban consulate comes to Tampa, a committee in the state Senate on Thursday officially disapproved of any such diplomatic outpost coming to Florida. The Senate Rules Committee approved SM 866, a largely symbolic bill that puts the committee on the record as expressing “profound disagreement” with President Barack Obama‘s […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 11, 2015

To abate a $6.9 million shortfall the Florida Department of Health has trimmed back from 22 to seven the number of Tallahassee staff administering the Early Steps program, which helps infants and toddlers with special health care needs. Department of Health Secretary John Armstrong told members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 4, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott sent a letter to President Barack Obama Wednesday advising Obama that he will not use state dollars to “backfill” any loss of federal “low income pool” or LIP money used to both help pay for health care programs and to train doctors. Scott assumed the funding would be intact when he crafted his […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 4, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott sent a letter to President Barack Obama Wednesday advising Obama that he will not use state dollars to “backfill” any loss of federal “low income pool” or LIP money used to both help pay for health care programs and to train doctors. Scott assumed the funding would be intact when he crafted his […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 3, 2015

A bipartisan group of House and Senate members on Tuesday announced their support of a 21-page bill that would better fund community mental health services and, among other things, establish a data collection system populated with information about individuals receiving publicly funded substance abuse and mental health disorders. In kicking off the press conference on […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 3, 2015

A bipartisan group of House and Senate members on Tuesday announced their support of a 21-page bill that would better fund community mental health services and, among other things, establish a data collection system populated with information about individuals receiving publicly funded substance abuse and mental health disorders. In kicking off the press conference on […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2015

On Friday, the Rick Scott Administration recognized what had been reported weeks earlier: Florida is losing $1.3 billion of federal money that would otherwise go to help hospitals treat poor and uninsured patients. When Eliot Fishman, director of the Children and Adults Health Programs Group in the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) at […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2015

On Friday, the Rick Scott Administration recognized what had been reported weeks earlier: Florida is losing $1.3 billion of federal money that would otherwise go to help hospitals treat poor and uninsured patients. When Eliot Fishman, director of the Children and Adults Health Programs Group in the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) at […]

Christine Jordan SextonFebruary 17, 2015

The Senate Health Policy Committee plowed through a number of bills Tuesday, including a measure that continues regulation of pain management clinics as well as a bills relating to the Children’s Health Insurance Program and diabetes. Perhaps the most controversial bill the committee passed was one that it had to defer action on when it […]

Tag: Rene Garcia

Capitol heavyweights aim to slim down in "Biggest Loser" contest

Senate panel opposes opening Cuban consulate in state

DOH chief John Armstrong give update on Early Step programs, staff cuts

Rick Scott warns Barack Obama that he won’t use state dollars to “backfill” LIP loss

Rick Scott warns Barack Obama that he won't use state dollars to "backfill" LIP loss

Legislators say now is the time to fix the state's mental health and substance abuse delivery sytem

Legislators say now is the time to fix the state’s mental health and substance abuse delivery sytem

Janet Cruz says Florida in "dire straits" with LIP funds now off the table

Janet Cruz says Florida in “dire straights” with LIP funds now off the table

Senate health panel OKs bills to continue pill mill regs, nix $30 million in hospital legal challenges