The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) today highlighted Governor Rick Scott’s “Fighting for Florida’s Future” Budget, which invests $27 billion in the agency. The Governor’s proposed budget includes important initiatives to improve transparency and protect patients at Florida hospitals, and invests funding to reduce administrative burdens in order to speed up the connection between health care providers and the Floridians they intend to serve.
Governor Scott said, “We have fought to make important reforms to fight price gouging at hospitals and help Floridians make informed decisions regarding the care offered to them and their families. This year, we are continuing our commitment to fighting for Florida patients and families by implementing initiatives that save millions of dollars in hospital costs and reduce burdensome regulations, helping to more easily connect Floridians to the care they need.”
Agency Secretary Justin M. Senior said, “With his ‘Fighting for Florida’s Future’ Budget, Governor Scott has continued to improve health care in Florida. By streamlining processes and removing burdensome regulations providers will be able to focus more on the quality of health care than the administrative burdens often associated with the health care field. This budget will allow our Agency to continue to ensure that Medicaid recipients are receiving the highest quality care, as we make investments in technology infrastructure that will help to support our goal of better health care for all Floridians.”
The “Fighting for Florida’s Future” Budget includes:
A savings of $298 million in hospital costs, which are responsible for the largest increases in Medicaid program expenditures. Governor Scott is committed to fighting for patients and families by working to prevent price gouging and unfair costs for medical care. Public hospitals, not-for-profit hospitals, and for-profit hospitals are all at an all-time low in how much charity care they are providing relative to their record profits. These proposed savings are accomplished by eliminating existing supplemental payments for hospitals who provide less charity care compared to the for-profit hospital industry.
A savings of $581 million by allowing Medicaid managed care plans to reimburse hospitals at more efficient rates compared to the traditional Medicaid program. Hospital services are the only services in Medicaid managed care where plans are forced to pay higher rates.
A savings of $50 million by slowing hospital inflation and eliminating an automatic increase in Medicaid hospital rates.
$480,000 for improvements to the Online Licensing system and $610,000 for improvements to the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse, which supports Governor Scott’s goal of reducing burdensome regulations on Florida businesses so they can invest more in serving families and communities. The Agency has already worked hard to eliminate duplication in the employee/operator background screening process and has reduced the burden and costs for those applying to work with children and vulnerable adults in Florida, and the “Fighting for Florida’s Future Budget” will build on this success. In addition to the Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse, the Agency has also worked to make investments in the online licensing system. The requested system modifications will allow providers to submit all licensure applications and changes online. These projects reduce undue burdens on businesses and state agencies by eliminating multiple duplicative screenings, reducing paperwork lowering costs, and ensuring the most effective methods are being used to connect those in need with potential healthcare providers.
$750,000 for enhancements to the Provider Data Management System to streamline the application process for providers who wish to enroll in the Medicaid program, speeding up providers’ ability to begin serving Medicaid patients. These investments from the “Fighting for Florida’s Future” Budget will also allow Florida businesses to open sooner which in turns means generating revenue earlier in the business cycle and adding new jobs to the health care economy faster.
Emmett Reed, Executive Director, Florida Health Care Association, said, “Florida Health Care Association is grateful to Governor Scott for his continued support of quality care and services for Florida’s frailest elders. We appreciate him fully funding Medicaid for nursing center services and for initiating the dialogue on the creation of a Prospective Payment System. In addition, his ‘Fighting for Florida’s Future’ Budget will help to further streamline the background screening process, allowing qualified employees applying at our centers to enter the long term care workforce faster so they can more quickly begin caring for nursing center residents.”
Bobby Lolley, Home Care Association of Florida said, “The investments in the Provider Data Management System in the ‘Fighting for Florida’s Future’ Budget will greatly streamline the application process for providers wishing to participate in the Medicaid program. Thanks to Governor Scott for streamlining the process, and allowing us to open our doors and serve Floridians in the most cost-effective, patient-preferred setting sooner.”
Patients
Governor Scott Fights for Fairness to Protect Patients
Governor Rick Scott announced today that he will work with the Legislature to fight for Florida families to ensure health care works for patients and not for hospitals’ bottom lines. Last year, Governor Scott championed and signed House Bill 1175 and House Bill 221 to increase transparency for Florida hospitals and patients to fight against hospital price gouging.
Governor Scott said, “This session, I want to fight to make the healthcare system fair for families and ensure health care works for patients and not for hospitals’ bottom lines. I will champion legislation that will repeal the outdated certificate of need program, repeal the cap on trauma centers and ensure transparent and upfront pricing for patients.
“I’ve traveled across our state and spoken with Floridians who have been charged unconscionable prices for procedures. The way patients are charged for services at the hospital should mirror a free market system. We must ensure that prices and quality outcomes are aligned so Floridians receive the best care possible when they visit a health care facility. We will also continue to make sure hospitals provide patients with anticipated costs prior to receiving services.
“I look forward to working with our sponsors Senator Bradley and Representative Alex Miller who have committed to fighting to repeal outdated certificate of need regulations. We will continue to work with the Legislature on these important measures to help bring greater access, quality, transparency and fairness to patients.”
Governor Scott will fight for legislation that will do the following:
- Repeal the outdated certificate of need program – Governor Scott wants to eliminate barriers for new health care facilities in order to increase competition and eliminate government restrictions on the availability of health care services. This will enable nursing homes, hospice services and hospitals to add needed beds without having to request a review. This will also allow Florida hospitals, nursing homes and hospice services to add facilities for those who are in most need, without making them wait due to red tape regulations. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, by 2010 there were 14 different states that had no existing certificate of need programs, including California, Texas and Pennsylvania.
- Repeal the cap on trauma centers – Governor Scott wants to repeal the statewide cap of 44 trauma centers in order to create a free market approach to allow future growth of trauma centers in Florida. This will ensure accessibility to high quality care for severely injured patients throughout Florida. It will also allow verification of trauma centers to be completed by a national accrediting organization to ensure Florida’s trauma centers are evaluated by a trusted national standard. Capping trauma centers, which is currently done in Florida, adds barriers for Floridians that are in need of immediate care due to severe injury.
- Ensure transparent and upfront pricing for patients – Governor Scott will continue to keep fighting for patients and protect families against surprise medical costs by requiring hospitals, insurers and practitioners to provide patients with anticipated costs prior to receiving services.
Senator Tom Lee Files Bill to Give Patients Greater Flexibility and Access to Quality Primary Care
Senator Tom Lee (R–Thonotosassa) announced today the filing of SB 240, designed to improve access to direct primary care by giving physicians and their patients an alternative to the traditional third party, fee-for-service system.
In a direct primary care model, patients receive access to their physician for a flat monthly fee. A full range of comprehensive primary care visits and services are included under this contract, ranging from acute and urgent care to regular checkups, labs, preventative care and chronic disease management. SB 240 recognizes these arrangements, establishes protections for both the physicians and the patients, as well as defines them as outside the scope of state insurance regulation.
“Direct primary care offers an innovative solution and greater efficiency to a healthcare system plagued by exorbitant costs and a lack of accessible, quality care for the uninsured and underinsured,” Senator Lee said. “This type of free-market approach grants patients greater flexibility and expands access to concierge-level healthcare that was once available only to the wealthy.”
Direct primary care practices allow patients to establish a personal relationship with their doctor, diminishing the dependence on expensive surgeries, urgent care, emergency rooms and other preventable hospitalizations. Physicians are able to spend more time caring directly for their patients and significantly reduce operating expenses by cutting out the hassle and costs associated with billing a health insurance company.
“These arrangements empower Florida families by giving them more control and choice in how they pay for the care they need,” Senator Lee added.
