Medicaid proposals criticized (Florida)

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Sun, Apr. 25, 2004

HEALTHCARE

Medicaid proposals criticized

Gov. Jeb Bush wants to revamp Medicaid, leading Democrats to charge he's setting the stage to slash healthcare costs and privatize more of the program.

BY MARC CAPUTO
[e-mail]


TALLAHASSEE - Leading millions of poor and sick Floridians into uncertainty, Republican lawmakers this week plan to insert a small passage in an inch-thick Medicaid bill that, they hope, will help them reform the program and make Florida a national model for states seeking to trim high healthcare costs.

The language to seek what's called a ''super waiver'' to Medicaid comes at the close of a 60-day lawmaking session during which the Legislature considered denying benefits to tens of thousands of children, pregnant women and transplant survivors.

In the end, lawmakers opted against the idea and deferred the possibility of massive healthcare cuts until next year, by which time they hope the federal government will allow Florida to waive Medicaid's ''antiquated,'' complex and myriad guidelines governing how poor, old or sick people are before they're entitled to taxpayer-supplied healthcare.
(snip)

''In effect, what we're looking at is the privatization of Medicaid,'' Smith said. ``We've seen dribs and drabs of what he wants in his lust for privatization -- more HMOs making decisions for people, more private faceless companies. It scares the clients and it scares the providers who know the HMOs will reimburse them for pennies on the dollar.''
(snip)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/8513060.htm

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. And, yet, the Orlando Sentinel is reporting that it was a "quiet" session.

And, according to the O.S., that is a good thing in an election year.

But, according to your article, it sounds like the Republicans in the Florida congress screwed up.

[salin]

2. why wasn't I just reading that the Florida statehouse was

dominated by "Christian radical right" legislators? And here they go again demonstrating how deaf they are to the teachings of Christ. If a program can benefit big business - too make it more effective we have to find how to reform it to make it even more profitable for big business... and if it helps fewer families, children and individuals in need... too bad... personal responsibility (let them eat cake... and suffer on the sidewalk and all that...) And for fun... let's aim to make the "model" a national model for other states to follow - making sure the policies that might lead to further destitution of the destitute go national!

But of course they are postponing the plan (which isn't, they claim, fully developed) until AFTER the election (another high five to JEB!'s brother). Let's take a peek at what the linked story includes as possible plans: (excerpts)

Bush's Agency for Health Care Administration has discussed a variety of plans with the federal government -- from capping health care spending to limiting the number of years people can receive Medicaid to steering more contracts to more health management organizations and private insurance companies.

earlier the story states the programs serves the destitute (maybe they can become "undestitute", and the mentally disabled (now there is a group whose needs will go away after a time limit....)

How do these folks' conscience let them sleep at night?

[DaveSZ]

3. .

How did the Florida legislature get controlled by radical right Fundies, when the state itself isn't really that way?

I was under the impression the state was more moderate.

[teryang]

4. This state is an example of unrepresentative

...government. Professional administrators in government who are overworked, understaffed and usually underpaid, are virtually the only interest groups to oppose the large private financial interests.

JebFRAUD himself is an old medicaid scamsceteer. His initial political support in Florida came from felons who went to prison for medicaid fraud. The HMOs here are run like fascist dictatorships. A time limit on medicaid benefits? What do they do, throw you out on the street after age 75?

When I hear a prospective employer tell me who their health care provider is and I already know their services, my response (to myself) is they're getting robbed.