Skip to main content
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty

Medicaid Reform – Florida

Posted on by
  • Florida Senate pushes Medicaid reform, By Marc Caputo and Steve Bousquet, April 1, 2010, Miami Herald: “The state Senate shifted rightward Wednesday by pushing plans to give private companies more tax money to manage prison operations and healthcare for the poor. As debate over the state budget began in earnest, the one-two privatization punch drew opposition from Democrats. They managed to soften the blow to the public prison system — job cuts had been on the table — but failed to halt a sweeping change for the Medicaid program that Republicans proposed in reaction to President Barack Obama’s signing of the new healthcare reform law. In the end, senators unanimously adopted a budget proposal, backing off a controversial plan to save money by opening a privately run prison and closing two state-run lockups. The Senate budget would allow the 2,200-bed, $113 million private Blackwater River prison in Milton to open Nov. 1. It would be run by the GEO Group and its cellblocks filled with inmates from other state-run prisons. The House has not yet approved a budget proposal…”
  • Florida’s Republican leaders push for privatized Medicaid program, By Jim Ash, March 31, 2010, Fort Myers News-Press: “The same Republican leaders who vowed to maintain an open and transparent legislative process are pushing a last-minute plan on the Senate floor that would completely rewrite, and essentially privatize, the state’s $18 billion Medicaid program. An amendment by Sens. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and Joe Negron, R-Port St. Lucie, would ask the federal government for permission to cap the program in exchange for increasing eligibility to another 2 million recipients. Medicaid recipients would get vouchers for private insurance, taking the state ‘out of the check-writing business,’ Negron said. Some would also see co-payments and deductibles. ‘It’s a way to treat people in the Medicaid program with the same dignity and respect as other people,’ Negron said…”