Florida Governor Rick Scott’s commission investigating hospital finances will meet for the first time today. The meetings come as Florida’s legislature preps for a special session.
Health care spending has been the big division in Florida’s budget thanks to a billion-dollar hospital fund that’s ending. Federal officials want Florida to expand Medicaid to cover Florida’s uninsured, and hospitals have been pushing for expansions.
Florida Governor Rick Scott’s hospital commission will take a deep dive into hospital finances, including CEO pay and money spent on lobbying. Scott has called for profit sharing among Florida’s hospitals.
Florida hospitals were asked to provide reams of financial data for the meeting, but many asked for clarifications or pointed to already existing public reporting.
The meeting will be all afternoon in Tallahassee, with 20 minutes for public comment at the end of the day. The commission will meet next in Orlando.
Abe Aboraya is a reporter with WMFE in Orlando. Health News Florida receives support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
