Tallahassee, Fla. — After a year filled with LGBTQ representation in schools, guns, abortion and other issues that divide Florida residents, the Florida House leader said health care will be the focus of lawmakers next year.
Paul Renner (Republican, Palm Coast) said he was looking at addressing health-related issues as another way to lower the cost of living for state residents and visitors, saying the majority of the 2024 session was dissatisfied. Other governments have suggested that it will be spent addressing issues that have
“The federal government has taken control of much of the state’s healthcare management through Obamacare, but there are things we can do,” Renner promised.
The speakers’ agenda included addressing price transparency, which has been partially, but not entirely successfully, addressed by the Trump administration in 2021. Federal regulations require hospitals negotiating with the government to publish prices, but patient access to that information remains problematic. Compare providers.
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“The cost of hip surgery varies greatly depending on where you go,” says Renner. “Often cheaper places have more surgeries and lower error rates.”
The speaker added that reciprocity, the ability of doctors and nurses certified in other states to immigrate to Florida, would also be on the list.
There is still time and opportunity for the political winds to turn and other issues to rise to the forefront, and it will be months before Mr. Renner announces HB 1, the bill for signature this Congress.
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Renner’s list doesn’t include expanding Medicaid to fill the so-called “coverage gap,” or people who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to pay for private insurance. His allies believe the massive expansions being undertaken by the other 39 states are unnecessary and contrary to the spirit of the plan.
Instead, officials said they would consider targeted reforms to help specific needy people so that Floridians do not face a “financial cliff.” The fiscal cliff is what happens when household income increases and they become ineligible for further benefits. extra money.
One example the staff pointed to was the government expansion of Kid Care in 2023, which raised the program’s income level from a maximum of $60,000 for a family of four to $90,000.
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AARP Florida Director Jeff Johnson said he expects lawmakers to take a more creative approach to health policy reform.
“A large part of the Medicaid program costs is money spent on long-term care. Most people think of nursing home care. It doesn’t have to be a nursing home,” Johnson said. . “If we spend more of that money on home or community-based services, or services that come to someone’s home … it will be cheaper for taxpayers and we will be able to serve more people.”
Many families spend more than $100,000 a year on nursing home care, and family caregivers spend an average of more than $7,000 a year.
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Johnson said he supports greater price transparency and reciprocity and believes closing the coverage gap should be a priority for MPs, whatever efforts are made. Stated.
“I don’t really care what people call it if they can get care at the end of the day,” he says.
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