TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers will consider a massive healthcare plan when they return for the legislative session next month.
Thursday morning, state Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples) unveiled the legislative package that she says will grow the healthcare workforce, increase access, and spur innovation.
It comes as something like 1,000 people move to Florida each day. The state’s healthcare industry is struggling to keep up, say supporters of the overhaul.
“Everybody needs healthcare," said Passidomo. "In Florida today, we do not have enough healthcare personnel to take care of the Floridians that are living here.”
Dubbed the "Live Healthy" plan, ideas are around eight pages long and could cost Florida around $900 million in the first year.
The specifics of the package include an effort to remove barriers for foreign-trained doctors to work in Florida. Loosen rules for out-of-state nurses and physician assistants to labor in the Sunshine State. It expands telehealth and mental healthcare services-- and increases the poverty-level eligibility threshold (200-300%) for access to free and charitable clinics.
“What we know is we have a robust system of those clinics across the state of Florida," said Sen. Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland). "What it does, is it opens up the clinics to more people.”
Early reviews of the idea sounded positive from the movers and shakers in the GOP supermajority. Florida’s House Speaker Paul Renner (R-Palm Coast) said this week the proposal has been “collaborative" between the chambers.
“I think there is something there that benefits the healthcare system broadly," Renner said. "There’s just a lot to like there. I think it’ll have a lot of bipartisan support.”
At this point, Democrats think there is a glaring omission in the package, no Medicaid expansion. The Senate President dismissed the idea as a “talking point,” saying the goal of her legislation was "quality, efficient, effective, and economical" care.
“You want to talk about Live Healthy?" said House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa). "We need to make sure people have access to healthcare. By expanding Medicaid, we would bring down another $4 billion in federal funds into Florida’s healthcare system.”
Driskell noted Thursday that Florida was one of only ten states that haven’t approved a Medicaid expansion. She said residents here are struggling with affordability— while possible benefits of expansion are left on the table.
“Maternal health rates have improved," said Leader Driskell. "It helps rural hospitals from having to close down. It helps prevent emergency room visits. I’m very disappointed to see that this act — the proposed Live Healthy Act doesn’t include anything on Medicaid expansion because Floridians need it.”
The next step is the actual filing of the legislation. Several bills are needed for the full package; two of them are expected to drop Friday and get committee discussion as soon as next week.
