The federal government has given Florida permission to privatize Medicaid for state residents in long term care. Margie Menzel has more.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius signed off on the first of two waivers to put Medicaid recipients into private managed care. The one she approved affects people in long term care facilities, such as nursing homes. HHS had until Thursday to decide on that waiver. The Legislature approved it two years ago.
The other waiver, which would privatize the general Medicaid population, is still pending. It has no deadline.
Governor Rick Scott has been pushing for the waivers as a way to cut Medicaid costs. He wrote Sebelius on Monday, asking her to approve the second one immediately. Scott has tied the waivers to the Affordable Care Act, which includes an option for states to expand Medicaid.