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The cost of health care in Florida's 'Sunshine Economy'

Florida Trend Health Care

The cost of health care in Florida's 'Sunshine Economy'

| 5/2/2017

PriceCheck: The cost of health care in Florida's 'Sunshine Economy'

Sometime before the end of this year, the state of Florida will have a new website with health care prices for patients. It's the result of a 2016 law and a five-year, $6.1 million state contract that was finalized earlier this month. The biggest health insurance providers in Florida are expected to contribute prices to the website: Florida Blue, Aetna, United Healthcare, AvMed and others. Under the law, these health insurers will have to share the prices they pay to Florida health care providers on behalf of their patients. See the contract between Florida and Health Care Cost Institute. (HCCI is building the "Health Care Claims Pricing Transparency" website for the state). Also read more at Health News Florida]

Calculating the economic and jobs impact of Florida hospitals

The hospital industry is big in Florida and fuels the economy substantially, according to a new analysis. The state’s 317 non-federal hospitals were responsible for $128 billion in contributions to the state economy in 2015, according to University of Florida economists. See the UF IFAS report, here. Also read more at the Naples Daily News.

Deal with Florida would reverse critical part of Obama’s Medicaid expansion

The Trump administration appears to have scrapped one of the key tools the Obama administration used to encourage states to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Under a deal with Florida, the federal government has tentatively agreed to provide additional money for the state’s “low-income pool,” a reversal of the previous administration’s policy. [Source: New York Times]

See also:
» Florida Medicaid could be cut by $650 million
» Budget Negotiators ‘Bump’ Hospital Funding Issues
» Work requirements for Florida Medicaid recipients move forward in House

Medical marijuana compromise in the works

The biggest sticking point between the House and Senate is how many new licenses there will be, and who will get them. The Senate plan produces more licenses faster than the House, which lobbyist Ron Watson says is needed. “To ingest more competition into the system. to drive down prices” says Watson. [Source: Capitol News Service]

See also:
» USF wants to be medical marijuana research hub

Florida Supreme Court ruling affects health care providers

The Florida Supreme Court held in Charles v. Southern Baptist Hospital of Florida, Inc. that adverse incident reports produced in conformity with state law could not be classified as confidential and privileged “patient safety work product." [Source: National Law Review]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Volunteer dentists offer critical care in Lee dental clinic
A statewide assessment of dental health needs found nearly a third of older adults in Florida aren't getting the early dental care they need. That lack of care is behind an expanded dental clinic in Lee County relying on volunteer health professionals.

› After more than three decades, Lee Health CEO Jim Nathan stepping down
Jim Nathan, who has led Lee Health’s transformation from a one-hospital organization to Southwest Florida’s dominant health care provider for more than three decades, will step down June 1, two years before the end of his five-year contract.

› Hope Lodge planned for Jacksonville area cancer patients exceeds fundraising goal
Having surpassed its fundraising campaign goal of $19.2 million, the American Cancer Society will break ground this fall on The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Hope Lodge in Jacksonville.

› Palm Beach County nurses have hearts of gold
Palm Healthcare Foundation, a public charity, has been prioritizing funding for nursing initiatives since its inception in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Palm Healthcare Foundation has donated more than $10 million to nursing initiatives designed to advance the field of nursing.

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