Tagged: Medicaid

At 7 a.m. on a Monday morning, poor people who don’t qualify for government health programs such as Medicaid are lined up outside a health department building on a busy street in St. Petersburg. 

Some lean against the wall; others sit on the ground, too sick to stand. 

At 7:30, the doors will open and those who are waiting will rush – or limp – inside to take a number. Lucky ones will get to see a doctor. First-come, first-served.

State Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Jacksonville, says the debate over how exactly to implement the Affordable Care Act in Florida is far from over. 

"There's going to be much more discussion as to what we should do next year as we watch other states," Bean said.  "Maybe we can also clarify exactly what the federal government has in mind."

House Speaker Will Weatherford said Florida’s rejection of Medicaid expansion is good for the country because it prevents the federal deficit from growing. But PolitiFact rated this claim Half True because he ignored some key information.  

At the last minute, lawmakers in the Florida Legislature agreed to provide $65 million in extra funding to help hospitals as they transition to a new formula for Medicaid payments, the Miami Herald reports. But now safety-net hospitals say they’re worried Gov. Rick Scott could veto that part of the budget. 

Florida representatives from Pinellas County were put on the spot Tuesday by Suncoast Tiger Bay members, who asked Republicans to defend their low health insurance premiums amid their decision to vote down plans that would have helped low-income Floridians get affordable health care, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

During the 2013 legislative session, Florida lawmakers were unable to agree on a plan to expand health care coverage for more low-income Floridians.  WUSF’s Carson Cooper talked to three state representatives about that issue for this week’s episode of Florida Matters, which aired Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on WUSF 89.7 FM. 

If you missed it, you can listen to the whole conversation here.

Florida lawmakers were unable to agree on a plan to expand health care coverage for more low-income Floridians.  We talked to three state representatives about that issue for this week’s episode of Florida Matters, which aired Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. on WUSF 89.7. 

The Florida Legislature’s decision against expanding Medicaid will saddle the state’s employers with higher health care costs and was “bad for business,” health care experts told business leaders on Tuesday. 

Florida corporations have been “too quiet” about Medicaid expansion and other health care issues, and should make elected officials aware of their displeasure before the damage gets worse, said William Kramer, a national health policy leader in San Francisco who works with corporations.

Because the federal government anticipated more Americans would have health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, they planned to cut compensation for hospitals that treat a large number of uninsured patients, the Miami Herald reports. In Florida, many may still lack access to coverage because the state rejected Medicaid expansion.

The Florida Legislature dealt with a number of health care bills this session.  See the Florida Current for a roundup of the issues, including Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, optometrist vs. ophthalmologist prescribing powers and a new Medicaid billing formula for hospitals.  

Karen Heaton didn’t expect her son to live past his first birthday -- yet Donnie is now one of the oldest males living with Trisomy 18. As the Tampa Bay Times reports, Donnie can’t walk, talk or feed himself. But his mom, who gave birth at age 42 and rarely spends any time away from him, worries what could happen to her son if he outlives her.