Statement from Emmett Reed, Florida Health Care Association Executive Director, on passage of House Bill 1369

“We’re disappointed the House Civil Justice Subcommittee passed this ill-advised bill, which would take away much-needed resources to continue enhancing care for our residents. Nursing home caregivers are being asked to do more with less, yet even so they continue making advancements in quality that are among the best in the nation. The subcommittee heard providers today talk about the millions of dollars it would cost to purchase $4-million insurance policies, if they were even accessible. It’s a dollar-for-dollar investment, and one that is simply impossible for providers to meet. Complying with this requirement would cost our state’s nursing homes over $2.7 billion, which amounts to almost 82 percent of Florida’s $3.4 billion that Medicaid spends to provide care to all Medicaid residents in a year. In an era where Medicaid underfunds nursing home care by more than $400,000 per center annually, those added resources are simply not there.
“FHCA will continue to oppose this misguided legislation because we know that putting more money into lawsuits and litigation costs will not improve care — it’s caregivers who make the difference. If legislators are looking for solutions that support  continuous quality improvements, our hope is that they focus on directing more money to pay for additional staff, new technologies and other improvements that will directly benefit the residents.”