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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFeds give FL permission to privatize long-term Medicaid care
TALLAHASSEE The Obama administration Monday gave Florida permission to transfer part of its Medicaid program to private health-care companies beginning this summer.
The state will enroll 87,000 Medicaid patients --- low-income seniors needing long-term care in one of five health-care plans that were selected last month to cover patients living in 11 districts around the state. The companies include American Eldercare, Sunshine State Health Plan, United HealthCare of Florida, Coventry Health Care of Florida and Amerigroup Florida.
In 2011, the Legislature approved a shift from fee-for-service to managed care for most of its 3.3 million Medicaid population, in hopes of curbing soaring costs of the $22-billion program. But the shift requires a "waiver" from the U.S. Health and Human Services Administration, which pays about 58 percent of the program's total cost.
Monday's announcement allowed that change only for a relative handful of elderly patients the Agency for Health Care Administration estimated it would cost $2.4 billion over the next year -- but lawmakers saw it as a critical first step.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/fl-medicaid-managed-care-approved-20130204,0,5810853.story
kestrel91316
(51,666 posts)Murder for profit.
Baitball Blogger
(46,736 posts)Anything that can get buried under the rugs, usually does in this state.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)Riley18
(1,127 posts)Very sad and frightening for them, and it opens the door for Scott to control the rest of the Medicaid money. I hate to think what will happen to the children on Medicaid when the Feds give him the rest of the money. Privatizing services paid for by taxes is wrong. Corporations are not in business for any reason but turning a profit
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)forestpath
(3,102 posts)This is the first step in throwing seniors completely to the wolves.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)believed it?
"but lawmakers saw it as a critical first step."
Hey, all you little mary sunshines, I thought obamacare was the first step toward universal health care, not the first step toward PRIVATIZATION?
Baitball Blogger
(46,736 posts)I don't really think that national level Dems know how bad things are for us down here. They never get beyond the rainmakers.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,736 posts)If D.C. is being shut down because the Florida networks got to them, then, we have to find another way.
Riley18
(1,127 posts)If you are not at the table, you are on the menu. The politicians are only too eager to profit at our expense.
Auntie Bush
(17,528 posts)Octafish
(55,745 posts)Cat food and wallowing in waste at the mercy of healthcare profiteers for the seniors.
Such is life in the United States of America in the 21st century.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)and both democrats and republicans are driving them.
RedCappedBandit
(5,514 posts)hay rick
(7,624 posts)The fraud starts in 3...2...1...
Auntie Bush
(17,528 posts)raouldukelives
(5,178 posts)William769
(55,147 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,736 posts)Too many professionals are working too hard to hide their mistakes. Things are a lot more inequitable than people realize.