Florida Unveils $2B in Medicaid Cuts, Hospitals Say Plan Will Devastate Healthcare

Florida Gov. Rick Scott, the former CEO of Columbia/HCA Corp, unveiled the state’s budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year, and it will include roughly $2 billion in Medicaid cuts, according to a Palm Beach Post report.

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In a news release, Gov. Scott said, “No program has grown as fast and as much as Medicaid, and we must find a way to control the cost. If we do nothing, this program will bankrupt our state.” The governor’s budget proposes paying similar rates for the same procedures in similar hospitals with a flat rate based on average cost data, according to the release.

The Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida released a fact sheet (pdf) saying Medicaid reimbursement cuts would devastate vital health programs, specifically at 15 safety-net hospital systems. Some of the safety-net hospital systems that stand to lose the most include the following:

•    Jackson Health System in Miami:  $177.5 million
•    Orlando Health:  $75.6 million
•    Broward Health in Fort Lauderdale:  $73.3 million
•    Tampa General:  $65.2 million
•    Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville:  $63.4 million

Related Articles on Medicaid Cuts:

Maine Governor Proposes Cutting Medicaid for 65k Residents

Arizona Appeals Court Upholds Medicaid Cuts

Nebraska Medicaid Program May Cut Benefits by $28M

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