This week, as a part of the Senate Bill, fresh proposal were released, which would alter the way 3 million people in Florida State would get insurance cover. Senate president Mike Haridopolos said in a statement, “The Senate has prepared a patient-centered Medicaid reform plan that provides effective medical care for people who use the program while at the same time controlling costs that have spiraled out of control.”.
Florida’s Medicaid program costs about $20 billion a year, 50 percent of which is financed by the federal government. So the key provisions in Florida’s revised Medicaid plan include:
1. With a few exceptions, all Medicaid recipients have to enroll in a managed care program. The state has to get federal approval of the plan. If Washington does not approve by December 31, 2001, Floria would begin its own Medicaid-like system “to the extent state funds are available.”
2. Medicaid enrollees will have to go for new patient co-pays. Patients have to abide by for $100 co-pays for non-emergency care in hospital emergency departments (compared with $15 now); it also would create a $3 co-payment for visits to specialty physicians.
3. There will be 19 Medicaid regions, in which the state would be in professional agreement with up to 10 different insurance providers. Recipients could then select between providers in their regions
4. Smokers and drug/alcohol dependent beneficiaries would have to agree to medically directed cessation programs; also, the morbidly obese have to undergo medically-directed weight-loss program.
5. The eligibility factor would be reduced. The state will make exceptions for pregnant women and for those needing emergency medical care
