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Millions Spent by Health Special Interests

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Florida House of Representatives
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

Special interest groups interested in health care bills in Florida’s Legislature are spending millions to support state lawmakers, the Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau reports.

Various legislators and the governor’s re-election campaign received $5.6 million from a dozen different HMO plans, and hospitals have given more than $3.9 million in the election cycle, the Herald/Times reports.

The insurance plans are vying for millions of dollar in mental health contracts, while the hospitals are zeroed in on trying to save $2.6 billion they depend on to help pay for care of the uninsured with the Low Income Pool, according to the Herald/Times.

The Herald/Times reports that both Senate and House leaders are criticizing the influence. House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’Lakes, says hospital lobbyists are pushing to expand a “broken” Medicaid system.

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.