Lawmaker Looks For Health Expansion Coverage Compromise

April 18, 2013

With the House and Senate taking vastly different approaches to expanding health care for low-income Floridians, a key lawmaker Wednesday floated a possible compromise that comes down to this: Let the people choose.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Joe Negron, R-Stuart, said the possible compromise involves moving forward with a Senate plan that would offer private health-insurance coverage to adults through the Florida Healthy Kids Corp. At the same time, the compromise would move forward with a plan spearheaded by Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, that would offer subsidies to low-income people who want more flexibility in choosing health coverage.

“They would be given the choice,” said Negron, who is the architect of the Senate bill (SB 1816). “So they could pick Rep. Corcoran’s plan or they could pick the Healthy Kids plan.”

But Negron’s compromise likely would not resolve the biggest obstacle to the House and Senate agreeing on an alternative to expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act. House Republican leaders have vehemently opposed accepting billions of dollars in federal funding to expand health care — federal money that would be needed in Negron’s compromise.

Negron outlined the possible compromise Wednesday as a Senate subcommittee approved his bill and another measure aimed at helping low-income people get health services. The other measure (SB 1844), sponsored by Fernandina Beach Republican Aaron Bean, is somewhat similar to the House plan and would not rely on federal funding.

Members of the Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee praised Negron’s bill as a pragmatic way to offer health coverage to hundreds of thousands of Floridians without expanding Medicaid. Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, said he understands the House Republicans’ objections to taking federal money, but he said the issue is about, “can we be compassionate for our fellow citizens?”

“This is a game changer for the state of Florida,” said Thrasher, a former House speaker. “But this is about, can we be – and find a way to be – pragmatic, to solve a problem and to be compassionate for our fellow citizens?”

The subcommittee voted unanimously for Negron’s bill, which would use the longstanding infrastructure of the Florida Healthy Kids Corp. to offer private insurance coverage to people whose incomes are up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. For a family of three, 138 percent of the poverty level would be an income of $26,951.

During the upcoming 2013-14 fiscal year, Negron’s bill contemplates using nearly $1.26 billion in federal money to provide coverage under the plan, dubbed “Healthy Florida.” The plan also has received support from interest groups ranging from the Florida Hospital Association and Associated Industries of Florida to the Service Employees International Union.

The subcommittee had a cooler reaction Wednesday to the Medicaid alternative proposed by Bean. That bill, which was approved in a 6-4 vote, would target people whose incomes are at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level and would provide up to $10 a month to help them pay for health services.

The Bean plan would be administered by the Florida Health Choices program, a long-planned online health marketplace. It would cost the state nearly $15.3 million during the upcoming fiscal year.

Bean’s plan drew skepticism Wednesday, at least in part, because it would provide only limited help to low-income people. But he urged the subcommittee to keep it alive as the Senate tries to reach agreement with the House on a plan to expand coverage.

“We need to keep options open, and maybe we’re forgetting but there’s another body across the way that also has a say in what we do,” Bean said. “They haven’t shown an interest in taking federal funds.”

Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, however, said he was concerned about sending a “mixed message” by approving both the Bean and Negron bills.

“It’s like trying to take two dates to the prom,” Montford said, drawing laughs. “Where I come from, you don’t do that — even though you might try.”

The Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, calls for expanding Medicaid to people with incomes up to 138 percent of the poverty level and could send more than $50 billion to Florida during the next decade for such an expansion. But House and Senate Republicans have rejected the idea of funneling more people into Medicaid.

While Negron’s bill would seek to tap into the federal money to offer private health coverage to low-income people, House Republican leaders have taken a hard line against relying on funds from Washington.

Last week, Corcoran and House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, released a state-funded alternative that would provide $2,000 subsidies to people whose incomes are at or below 100 percent of the poverty level.

The money would be used to buy coverage, such as high-deductible insurance policies, through the Florida Health Choices program, the same online marketplace that Bean wants to use. A family of three with an income of $19,530 would be at 100 percent of the poverty level.

Negron gave only a broad overview of his compromise idea Wednesday, but he said it would involve allowing people to use money to buy coverage through his insurance program or through the House plan. He said it would use federal money, along with possibly state funds, and that it could increase the subsidies that would be available through the House plan.

The Senate appropriations chairman also said Florida already relies heavily on federal money to bolster its budget, particularly in health programs.

“There are some good uses of federal funds, and there are some uses that are not so good,” Negron said.

By The News Service of Florida

Comments

One Response to “Lawmaker Looks For Health Expansion Coverage Compromise”

  1. kathy@frontier.net on April 19th, 2013 7:27 am

    IDIOTS!!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News