Florida Governor Rick Scott (R) is asking the Legislature to pass his $79.3 billion Florida First Budget next year, according to Health News Florida.
Gov. Scott outlined the highlights of his budget plan on Monday. The proposed budget includes several controversial bids, including a $1 billion tax cut during a time when the state is struggling to fill a $400 million hole in federal funding for healthcare for the poor and underserved.
Here are three things to know about Gov. Scott's budget plan.
1. The proposed Florida First Budget stipulates a substantial revision to how the state reimburses for indigent healthcare. Gov. Scott wants to see a change in how the state disperses the remaining funds in the Low Income Pool to better manage the financial gap.
"$4.3 billion in record profits in our hospitals — our hospitals are doing extremely well. We've got to make sure as taxpayers we spend our dollars well," said Gov. Scott, according to Health News Florida. "So, in my budget this year we have a proposal — the way LIP funding will go — will go to the hospitals that need the money most — our safety net hospitals, our teaching hospitals."
2. Gov. Scott also seeks to do away with automatic Medicaid payments to hospitals to lower costs, but doesn't plan on diverting any state funds to make the LIP whole.
3. Gov. Scott is asking the Legislature for $5 million to create an all payer claims database, which would allow patients, caregivers and insurance companies to better track hospital expenses, costs and coverage, according to the report.