Florida Health Insurance

Thousands Of Florida Children Dropped From KidCare

ruzik_tuzik — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:15:23 -0600

Thousands of children in Florida's KidCare program over the past five months may have been improperly dropped from the program's rolls because of a glitch in the state's computer system, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports. According to the News-Journal, Rich Robleto -- executive director of Florida Healthy Kids, which administers KidCare -- said 62,500 children left the program or were terminated from May to October, about 25,000 more than normal.

Florida Medicaid Pilot Program Should Be Expanded

ruzik_tuzik — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 06:05:49 -0500

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration last week sent a proposal to Gov. Charlie Crist recommending that a Medicaid managed care pilot project be expanded to 20 additional counties, Florida Health News reports. The pilot, which currently operates in five counties under a federal Medicaid waiver, requires that beneficiaries sign up for managed care plans, usually HMOs, that offer additional benefits but also can place limits on them. The request includes an increase in Medicaid payments for specialists, which is intended to increase access for beneficiaries.

Six Floridan Insurance Companies Offer Coverage In Cover Florida Program

ruzik_tuzik — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 05:31:11 -0500

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist on Thursday announced that the state has selected six health insurance companies to provide coverage beginning in early 2009 under the state's new Cover Florida program, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports (Hafenbrack, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 10/16).

Florida Medicaid Beneficiaries Participate In Pilot Program

ruzik_tuzik — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:17:47 -0500

About three in 10 Medicaid beneficiaries participating in a Florida pilot program were not aware of changes brought about by the program, namely that they were expected to choose a new health insurance policy for themselves, according to a study published on Tuesday in the journal Health Affairs, the Florida Times-Union reports (Cox, Florida Times-Union, 10/14). The program was launched in 2006 in Duval and Broward counties by the administration of then Gov.

Florida State Health Program Delayed

ruzik_tuzik — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:37:17 -0500

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's (R) Cover Florida program and two other proposed measures intended to expand health care coverage to more state residents have stalled, Florida Health News reports. State officials on Wednesday were expected to announce which of the nine health insurance companies, which submitted bids to offer basic low-cost health plans to residents, had been chosen as part of Crist's program.

Florida Allows Adults To Stay On Parents' Health Policies Up To Age 30

ruzik_tuzik — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:25:13 -0500

A Florida state law allowing certain workers to keep dependents on their health insurance policies until age 30 was scheduled to take effect on Wednesday, but some of the specifics of the law still are being discussed, the Orlando Sentinel reports. According to the Sentinel, insurers, state regulators and employers still are trying to determine how the law will affect them.

South Florida Medicare Fraud Prosecution Cases Increase

ruzik_tuzik — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:23:40 -0500

In the past 12 months, 245 South Florida defendants have been charged with filing nearly $793.5 million in false Medicare claims, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida R. Alexander Acosta said on Tuesday, the Miami Herald reports. Acosta credited the federal Medicare Fraud Strike Force for increasing the number of prosecutions.

HMOs To Stay In Florida Medicaid Reform Program

ruzik_tuzik — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:34:44 -0500

Three Florida HMOs have said they will continue participating in a "Medicaid Reform" plan after the Agency for Health Care Administration agreed to reduce payments by an average of 3% on Sept. 1, instead of 5% as previously announced, Florida Health News reports (Florida Health News, 9/2).

Experts Defend Florida Law Reducing Health Insurance Mandates

hareyan — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:31:08 -0500

Health care experts are jumping to the defense of a new Florida law allowing health insurance providers to sell health insurance coverage plans free of expensive mandates.

The measure (see "Florida Passes Model Legislation Allowing More Health Insurance Choice," Health Care News, August 2008) has come under fire from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), an activist group that has released a study claiming the measure will do little to reduce the number of uninsured in the Sunshine State.

Florida Now Allowing More Health Insurance Choice

hareyan — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:52:26 -0500

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) has signed a bill allowing uninsured Floridians to purchase affordable health insurance plans largely free of expensive, superfluous mandated health insurance coverages.

Experts are lauding the new legislation, the Cover Florida Health Access Act, as a positive step toward affordable health insurance and a model program for other states.

Mandates Cause Uninsurance