Medicaid Cuts Could Impact FL Economic Recovery
(Posted June 27, 2011 07:33 am)
By Les Coleman
TALLAHASSEE, FL - A report from the organization Families USA says that every federal Medicaid dollar that flows into Florida stimulates state business activity and generates jobs. Conversely, U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) says, cutting Medicaid funds, as proposed in the House Republican budget, not only hurts seniors, people with disabilities, and children, but it also would result in fewer jobs and could stunt the economic recovery.
"This GOP plan really will result in job losses,
firings and layoffs."
The budget proposal adopted by the U.S. House of
Representatives, sponsored by Representative Paul Ryan
(R-Wis.), calls for cuts in federal funding to current
state Medicaid programs of 5 percent in 2013, 15 percent
in 2014, and 33 percent in 2021.
In the shadow of the federal Medicaid fight, Florida
lawmakers have approved legislation to move Medicaid
patients into private HMOs. Governor Rick Scott has
signed the bill, but according to Representative Castor,
the move requires approval from the Obama administration
and raises serious questions, given recent reports.
"In my hometown of Tampa, the Wellcare HMO was found out
and brought up on charges by the Justice Department
because they were supposed to be providing health
services to children under Medicaid. They weren't doing
it; they were simply pocketing the money."
Florida opponents of privatizing Medicaid have filed
suit in federal court, claiming the pilot project in
five southern counties is fraught with fraud, and
reports of inadequate patient care access.
