[Nfbf-l] medicare reform meetings starting in Tallahassee and ending in Fort Myers

[Kirk]

Hello everyone. I am forwarding this information for any that may wish to 
attend in there areas. Your friend in the cause, Kirk

Medicaid meetings kick off June 10 in Tallahassee
Christine Jordan Sexton, 05/26/2011 - 12:20 PM (LobbyTools, The Current)

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The Agency for Health Care Administration has scheduled 11 meetings across 
the state where the public can discuss the state's latest foray into 
Medicaid managed care.

The meetings begin June 10 in Tallahassee and culminate June 17 in Ft. 
Myers. A spate of cities -- including Florida's largest like Ft. Lauderdale, 
Miami, Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa -- will also be sites of public 
meetings.

Florida CHAIN Executive Director Laura Goodhue said she wasn't familiar with 
the locations AHCA had identified for the meetings except for the meeting in 
Palm Beach which is located at the airport. Goodhue said that wasn't an 
ideal location for patients to show up to testify.

"Ideal locations would be along public bus routes and centrally located 
within a county," she said in an email.

"Community centers, libraries and schools would be a more logical choice and 
each county has social service advocates that could easily point out the 
best location," she said, adding "these meetings (must) be accessible to 
Medicaid recipients and their families and that would include accommodating 
persons with disabilities."

The Florida Legislature this session passed a major overhaul of the existing 
Medicaid program. If the federal government agrees, the state will place 
most Medicaid patients into managed care plans by 2014, which is when the 
large Medicaid expansions under the Affordable Care Act also take effect. 
The two bills were sent to Gov. Rick Scott earlier this week. Scott is 
expected to sign the bills.

AHCA is directed to submit any waiver it may need for the new Medicaid 
program to the federal government by August 1. Before the state submits a 
waiver it is required to hold the meetings and obtain public input.

Goodhue said she is hopeful that AHCA gives Medicaid patients the 
opportunity to speak. The meetings are scheduled for three hours. Agency for 
Health Care Administration Communications Director Michelle Dahnke said the 
format for the meetings will be identical: AHCA will make a presentation and 
then allow for public testimony. Goodhue said when AHCA held similar 
meetings last year as the state prepared to submit its extension request for 
the Medicaid 1115 waiver the agency made an hour presentation which left 
little time for people to speak. "The vast majority of time should be given 
to ask questions and to raise concerns, because it's a public hearing and 
not a presentation," Goodhue said.





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