[Fopbc] Holly Benson of Florida's Medicaid Reform project resigns

[FOPBC at aol.com]

Hello all, I thought this was interesting and surprising as well! I am just 
 passing it along to all of you. 
 Benson resigns as AHCA chief
 By Christine Jordan Sexton 
 10/15/2009 © Health News Florida 
 
 One of the chief architects of Florida's Medicaid Reform project has 
resigned. 
 
 Holly Benson, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, 
submitted 
 a resignation letter to Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday saying her future 
plans 
 require it, although she did not say what they are. She is widely expected 
to 
 run for Attorney General. 
 
 "Health care is at a critical crossroads, and its course is being 
determined not 
 in Tallahassee, but in Washington, D.C." she wrote. "Likewise, I find 
myself at 
 a critical juncture wherein I must consider how to best use my talents to 
serve 
 the people in our state." 
 
 Her departure comes as Florida enters the final year of its controversial 
 "Medicaid Reform" experiment, which was intended to hold down rising 
costs, 
 prevent fraud and coordinate patients' care. It remains unclear how much 
money 
 it saved and what the tradeoffs were.
  
 AHCA press secretary Tiffany Vause said there's been no announcement on 
who will 
 head the agency after Benson's Oct. 28 departure. Already, though, there 
is 
 interest in the job. 
 
 "I would love to take a whack at it," said Rep. Ed Homan, an orthopedic 
surgeon 
 and Republican from Tampa. "It's a great time for anybody to get in there 
and 
 make some changes." 
 
 State Sen. Durell Peaden said  he was surprised at the resignation, 
although he 
 had heard rumors that Benson was interested in the Attorney General 
position. 
 Peaden said he'd like to see Tom Arnold, AHCA Deputy Secretary, be named 
to the 
 top post.
  
 Arnold has had a long career in state health policy, working for AHCA and 
the 
 Department of Health. He's worked successfully with several governors and 
 understands the multibillion-dollar Medicaid budget and the Reform pilot, 
Peaden 
 said.
 
 "We don't need to get anybody in there who needs on-the-job training," the 
 senator said. When asked if he had an interest in the position, Peaden 
replied:  
 "Not at all. I have zero interest."
 
 Benson is best known as being the architect of Gov. Jeb Bush's experiment 
to 
 alter Medicaid from a limitless entitlement program for certain low-income 
 groups - children, pregnant women, and the elderly and disabled -- to 
something 
 that more closely resembles private insurance. Benson served in the 
Legislature 
 for six years.
  
 She made a brief bid for the state Senate, but after drawing tough 
opposition in 
 the Republican primary from Don Gaetz, withdrew. Gaetz went on to win the 
 general election. 
 
 In 2006 Benson was named Secretary of the Department of Business and 
 Professional Regulation by Gov. Charlie Crist. Then Crist named her AHCA 
 Secretary in February 2008.
  
 Because she was the main architect of the Bush reform plan, her 
appointment was 
 controversial from the start. Her AHCA predecessor, physician Andrew 
Agwunobi, 
 opposed expansion of Medicaid Reform beyond its current five counties, 
citing a 
 critical report from his inspector general, Linda Keen.
  
 Within months of Benson's arrival at AHCA, Keen resigned from the agency. 
 Thereafter, AHCA reversed its position on Medicaid Reform and lobbied for 
it to 
 be expanded into heavily populated Miami-Dade and Hillsborough counties, 
among 
 others. But the Legislature refused. 
 
 The pilot project requires most Medicaid beneficiaries in Ft. Lauderdale, 
Duval, 
 Baker, Clay and Nassau counties to enroll in HMOs or other managed care 
plans. 
 It is made possible by a five-year waiver of federal Medicaid rules that 
will 
 expire in 2010. 
 
 Benson has placed emphasis on getting more information on health costs and 
 quality to consumers through the state's Web site, 
_www.FloridaHealthFinder.gov_ (http://www.floridahealthfinder.gov/) . 
 Coincidentally, AHCA received word today that it received an award for 
that 
 effort from the National Association of Health Data Organizations.
 
 --Christine Jordan Sexton is co-founder of TallahasseeReporters.com.
 
  Kirk
 
 Kirk Harmon
 1031 Lenmore CT.
 Orlando, FL. 32812
 Home office: (407) 380-3371
 
 Cell: (407) 473-2176
 E-mail address: _kvharmon54 at gmail.com_ (mailto:kvharmon54 at gmail.com) 
 
 BVA/FRG
 E.Central Florida
 Associate Director
 
 911 cell phone
 bank
  Chairperson
 BVA/FRG
 
 Mayors Veterans Advisory counsil
 member
 
  Blind advocate
 and fundraiser 
 
 
 " Smiles are nothing more than thirty second vacations!"
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