Florida Hands Over Medicaid Program To Private Insurers

On Friday, the Florida legislature passed two bills that would shift hundreds of thousands of poor and elderly beneficiaries in Medicaid onto private HMOs and “other types of managed-care plans.” Under the proposal — which Gov. Rick Scott (R) is expected to sign — seniors with long-term care needs would be required to enroll in private health coverage by October 2013 and women and children would have to begin participating in October 2014. Beneficiaries with developmental disabilities would be excluded from the requirement.

Proponents claim that the change would “hold down spiraling costs in the $20 billion program, while also improving a fragmented system of care.” But the date is far less conclusive. In fact, a five-county Medicaid pilot program that tested the idea of whether “privatization would save the state money while improving services” found widespread complaints and little evidence of savings. From an analysis by Georgetown University:

This study concluded that the pilots were saving money, but did not account for the cost of the enhanced benefits program and increased administrative costs associated with the pilot.

The study also concluded that it was not possible to assess whether these savings were a result of reduced access to care or more efficient provision of services. … Much critical information is still lacking about the impact of Florida’s Medicaid pilots, including whether or not the pilots have saved money – and if they have whether the savings came at the expense of needed care. <...>

Market instability and plan turnover have resulted in significant changes in beneficiary plan assignments over the past three years, which is likely to have caused disruptions in care for children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations.

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2011/05/09/florida-medicaid/


Another corporate hand over

As sure as the Sun rises in the East the poor will get fucked by private insurers.

the GOP wants efficient shoeboxes to tuck things away in

Toss them in a big hole with the other paupers and toss some fresh lime on top.

It was a privatization (and state-sponsored mercantilism) from the get-go.

be a problem.

...and this, my friends, is tantamount to political SUICIDE. 2012 is going to be a GREAT year to be a Democrat seeking office.

And they are quickly working to make sure those folks aren't allowed to vote.

The Repubs there only want you to vote if your are 1, rich, 2, high on jeebus, or 3, deluded white fox viewers. No others need apply.

Didn't the elderly vote for these ass-hats just last year?

People seem to have a habit of voting against their own interests, especially if they're Republicans!!!

vote is really beyond me anymore. The propaganda runs so deep and thick anymore a large portion of the populace can't seem to manage to see the absolute BS being pushed on them as good. I swear, a good portion of the American electorate is masochistic and also psychopathic.

Frankly, I think the Republicans have done a wonderful job of divide and conquer with them. They won't figure out what happened until it's too late.

Medicaid in my state is for thoses that have no insuirance and can not afford any except for those old enough to be on Medicare. I have a friend that is having medical issues and he just turned sixty five. He used to get all medical needs met in full. Now he has to pay $130.00 from his Social security and then has to pay twenty percent of all costs..He is really bummed..

so it will be interesting to see what changes are made here. I'm guessing the costs to the state will rise significantly because the private insurers won't change benefits or charge patients more, but will increase their "management" and pharmacy costs that they bill the state for. I'm sure someone will audit this thoroughly.

Isn't that kinda like the exact same thing pRick Scott doesn't like about Obama's healthcare reform? That one is *required* to purchase something?

Hey, old people who vote Republican... how's that workin out for ya?

Buyers remorse must be BRUTAL.

Caveat Emptor, latin for "let the buyer beware" seems more and more appropriate as Republican elected officials' attacks on America continues.

in a warm climate, in a blue state.

Hope it works out!

but the Federal health care reform is unconstitutional????!!! I would start a massive lawsuit against the state of Florida over this shit. You can not tell me that I can not utilize Medicare, Florida can not do that.

through no fault of their own. Next will be the reality of the implementation of Soylent Green. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070723/

I hope Americans are waking up (I doubt it), but any feeling insular to this should wake up, SH** happens in life and one might find themselves unexpectedly on the list.

dubbed derisively by Republicans as "Hillarycare", their main talking point against the plan was that it would force many insured patients into dreaded HMOs and health co-ops. Since the plan was scrapped, that's exactly what happened anyway. Now, it looks like those HMOs that Republicans held forth as butcher shops are their best option available.

Once again, Republicans are on the wrong side of an issue and have been proven to hold the clairvoyant prowess of a Dodo bird. If a Republicans says something is advisable, put your hand over your wallet and do the opposite.

by moving to for profit insurance companies. You still have all the same costs plus they're taking profits out. It has to end up costing more.

So exactly how is this supposed to work? All sorts of Fed laws to contend with.

The Republicans claim this will 'Force" lazy people to go out and look for a job.


What jobs? Where? The republican group think is incredibly evil and ignorant. And.. they are in firm control of every inch of Florida.

Hastening the demise of the poor, ill & undeserving, or failing that, they hope the ill & poor will get so frustrated that they will leave the state.

It's a win-win for republicans..

Medicare and Medicaid exist solely because private insurers would not cover the people these programs serve.

The only reason to "privatize" these programs is if you really, really don't want to cover these people. That is, you really have to want them to go away and die.

:shrug:

Florida can legally do this. Better start writing Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, about this. I believe she's in charge of Medicare and Medicaid.

http://www.hhs.gov/about/

of the wailing and gnashing of teeth against health care reform?

Odd how when the R's can force people onto programs they screamed against, it's somehow, "just fine"...hypocrites all...:grr:

Bring on the infamous Death Panels you GOP slobs!

if you are getting benefits paid for by their tax money you don't have the right to choices, quality or safe care and you don't get a say. Basically, you have given up your rights. I think they also have the opinion that you have no right to own anything nice or to shop for clothing at private businesses nor purchase the kinds of food you like to eat--nevermind drink a beer, smoke a pipe or have protected or non-protected sex. At some point, I am expecting a call from those quarters for concentration camps or workhouses. If you work for the government as a teacher, a social worker, a cashier or clerk for the DMV or at the state run hospitals--you are apparently only 3 degrees above a welfare case and should be subject to some of the same restrictions. At least that is what I have observed from the comments in my local newspaper online forum.

to them...this Texan hopes so. As for all the Ds in Florida...I feel your pain, you deserve far far better.

because they can no longer afford it when things are privatized.

Now that I have a high deductible, I avoid the doctor. And if lots of us do, then implementing the high deductible plans saved lots of money right now.

This Republican madness has to stop.

I'm so angry at my democratic team for not banding together to demand FDR policies from the start of 2009, or even 2006. They could have been ready as a block to push for the balance we need in our society. We are so very very cruel in caring for our children, sick and elderly, compared to all other rich countries. And in spite of that cruelty, we're letting news broadcasts pretend we are broke-- unable to shift tens of billions from Offense and Tax Cuts into helping our most vulnerable and creating millions of jobs doing meaningful necessary work repairing our infrastructure.