Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried today appeared before Members of Congress from Florida to discuss key issues facing the agriculture industry. [Read more…] about Commissioner Nikki Fried Addresses Florida Congressional Delegation in Washington
Florida Congressional Delegation
Excerpts from Commissioner Adam Putnam’s Remarks to Florida Congressional Delegation in Washington, D.C.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam joined Governor Rick Scott to discuss the recent agricultural damage caused by Hurricane Irma and to request federal assistance. The following are excerpts from his remarks:
“The Florida delegation has a long history of coming together in the aftermath of these types of disasters and bringing the full weight of the third largest delegation in support of our state.
“We’re grateful for you being here and for your efforts on our behalf. Every single one of your districts has been impacted, if not by Irma, then by Nate and by the continued fallout of Hurricane Maria in ways that will continue to affect Florida.
“The Governor has done an extraordinary job before, during and after the storm managing this crisis.
“The one area that doesn’t historically have a standing program of assistance is disaster assistance for agriculture, for the things we grow in Florida. Florida agriculture has historically been the zebra of American agriculture. Most US ag policy is designed for Midwestern program crops.
“So dragon fruit, and jackfruit, and avocados in Homestead, and the citrus industry throughout the state, and the winter vegetable industry historically have not had the risk management tools or disaster assistance tools that other parts of US agricultural commodities have had, which is why we’re here.
“The simple ask is that disaster assistance for agriculture relief be included in the bill that’s moving this week. I know that’s a short turnaround, I know that’s a heavy lift, but time is of the essence for supporting growers who have between 50- and 100-percent of their crop on the ground.
“So this is a broad calamity for the second largest industry in the state. The preliminary economic reports peg the loss at $2.5 billion.
“You can stand in any orange grove in Florida right now and listen to the fruit hitting the ground like rainfall because of the longer-term damage that continues to play out. You can walk through any grove in Florida and smell the rot of fruit that was just weeks away from being harvested and, as the Governor said, for the first time in years may have been a larger crop than the year before.
“As it is today, the official crop estimate will come out tomorrow, and I put zero stock in it because there’s no way they have an accurate count of the estimate they’ll release tomorrow based on the continued damage that’s falling out from Hurricane Irma and the fact that they pulled their limb counters out of the groves at a time when they didn’t have an accurate picture of the long-term damage to the trees and to the crop.
“We’re looking at catastrophic losses across these commodities and so with that, I’ll close by saying our ask is that the bill that the House will take up this week that it include the $2.5 billion to be directed to the USDA for the USDA to then administer the program.”
Gov. Scott Meets with Florida Congressional Delegation Members to Urge Action for Citrus Industry
Governor Rick Scott, joined by Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, today met with members of the Florida congressional delegation to discuss Hurricane Irma and Florida’s citrus industry. It’s estimated that Hurricane Irma caused more than $2.5 billion in losses for Florida’s agriculture industry, including more than $760 million in losses for Florida citrus.
Last week, Governor Scott activated a $25 million Florida Citrus Emergency Loan Program to support citrus growers impacted by Hurricane Irma. Learn more about the program HERE.
Below is an excerpt of the Governor’s remarks as prepared for delivery from today in Washington:
- With Floridians ready to get back to their normal lives, it is time for Florida to rebuild.
- Today, I’m here to urge you to work together and pass legislation to facilitate the rebuilding process. As you know, Florida prides itself in our incredible and iconic citrus industry. Florida’s world famous citrus industry has been negatively affected by the impacts of Irma – with an estimated more than $760 million in losses alone in citrus, and more than $2.5 billion in losses in total for the Florida agricultural industry.
- Floridians deserve to be made whole again after this catastrophic storm, and I urge you to work with your colleagues to help Florida with the losses accrued in our citrus and agriculture industries. Florida farmers are a tough, hardworking group not looking for a government handout.
- This industry was already struggling from the impacts of citrus greening and we cannot let Irma decimate our industry long-term.
Florida Congressional Delegation Calls on Federal Regulators to Delay Burdensome Medicare Demonstration
Led by U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D), Florida’s congressional delegation this week called on federal regulators to delay a Medicare demonstration that could jeopardize access to Medicare-funded home health care services for Florida seniors.
In a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, 27 members of the congressional delegation called for replacement of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Pre-Claim Review Demonstration (PCRD) with a “more effective program integrity initiative that better targets fraud.”
PCRD was announced by CMS in June 2016 and requires an intermediary to pre-approve payment for Medicare home health services. Florida is one of five states selected by regulators to participate in the mandatory program. Following implementation in Illinois in August 2016, Medicare home health agencies have widely reported challenges navigating the program’s requirements, including:
- Physical therapy denied
- Nursing care for knee replacement patients denied
- Medicare Administrative Contractors questioning “medical necessity”
- Technology flaws delaying affirmations
- Lack of clarity on requirements and processes
- Significant administrative burden
Senators Nelson and Marco Rubio previously sent a letter to federal regulators last fall, which successfully resulted in the delay of PCRD from going into effect on October 1, 2016.
“Lawmakers from both parties representing urban, suburban and rural districts spanning from the Panhandle to Key West signed on to the letter, demonstrating a united front before federal regulators that Pre-Claim Review is a costly, burdensome and ineffective demonstration,” said Kyle Simon, director of government affairs and communications for the Home Care Association of Florida (HCAF). “HCAF and its members are encouraged by the show of support by our federal representatives, and cautiously optimistic that a delay will be granted by HHS Secretary Price.”
“The home care community in our great state has been saddled with just about every initiative that policy makers in D.C. have dreamed up,” said Anthony Clarizio, president of HCAF. “From aggressive audits to reimbursement-related programs Value-Based Purchasing, and now with the Pre-Claim Review Demonstration looming large on the horizon, the level of scrutiny on home care is unparalleled, and no other state has had to contend with it as much as Florida.”
Nearly 350,000 Medicare beneficiaries across Florida depend on home health services provided by 1,124 Medicare agencies every year.
Founded in 1989, the Home Care Association of Florida is a 501(c)(6), not-for-profit, statewide trade association representing Florida’s home care industry. For more information, visit HomeCareFLA.org.
