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FL Medicaid Fined Over ER Cap

The federal government intends to fine Florida for what it describes as a violation of the Social Security Act -- limiting Medicaid patients' emergency room visits to six a year -- the Tampa Bay Times reports.  

In December 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services  rejected the plan from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration to cap the visits.

Florida appealed the denial, but went ahead and imposed the cap anyway while the feds reviewed the decision, the Times reports. 

The struggle involves relatively few patients -- fewer than 1 percent -- and only part of the Medicaid funding for those patients. The amount of the reduction in funds is still unclear.

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.