Examining the Impact of Medicaid Changes in Florida
A long-trusted leader on health care issues, the Winter Park Health Foundation (WPHF) in the past and present has worked with other foundations in Florida to provide information–to stakeholders and the public–on health issues impacting Central Florida and the rest of the state.
WPHF currently is collaborating with the Jessie Ball duPont Fund to financially support a series of four educational briefs focused on proposed changes to Florida’s Medicaid program.
The first two briefs, the work of researchers at the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, were released in December. The latest brief–number three– is focused on Florida’s Medicaid Waiver and Long-Term Care, and will be released at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 in a webinar. To register for the webinar, go to http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=84303 Space is limited.
In brief one, “Looking Ahead to 2012, What Changes Are in Store for Florida’s Medicaid Program?” the researchers provide background and an overview of the proposed changes and the process involved.
Brief two, “Proposed Medicaid Premiums Challenge Coverage for Florida’s Children and Parents,” focuses on the possible impact of a proposed $10 monthly premium on all Medicaid beneficiaries, including children. This, according to the researchers, could result in many not having any form of health insurance coverage.
WPHF collaborated with the Jessie Ball DuPont Fund and multiple other Florida foundation to educate consumers, stakeholders and policy-makers on the issues involved in Medicaid reform underway in Florida in 2004 and 2005.
Part of a series called “Florida’s Health at Risk,” the briefs also were authored by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. The briefs were designed to spark a thoughtful public discussion on the best ways to improve Medicaid funding.
These briefs included, “What Could a Waiver to Restructure Medicaid Mean for Florida?,” “Florida’s Medicaid Budget: Why are Costs Going Up?,” “Issues to Consider in Governor Bush’s “Florida Medicaid Modernization Proposal,” “Understanding Florida’s Medicaid Reform Legislation,” and “Understanding Florida’s Medicaid Waiver Application”
To view the briefs, go to www.wphf.org.
To view additional research completed by the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, go to http://ihcrp.georgetown.edu/ and click on “Assessing Florida’s Medicaid Reform” on the right side of the page.
