The Medicaid wave in Florida is beginning to crest, as the Florida Association of Counties — in partnership with 47 individual counties — filed a lawsuit over the state's new Medicaid billing law.
In March, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed a controversial bill that changed how Florida counties are billed for Medicaid costs and forced counties to pay the state roughly $325.5 million in disputed Medicaid claims.
The FAC's complaint says the new Medicaid billing law violates two sections of the unfunded mandates provision of Florida's constitution and illegitimately requires payments of disputed bills that did not need to be kept on file before.
"This suit does not challenge whether counties should participate with the state in making its Medicaid payments," according to the complaint. "That policy decision was made long ago. Rather, counties want to pay their fair and accurate share of the Medicaid bills on behalf of their residents, which they have been prevented from doing because of a state billing system plagued with rampant errors…Forty counties representing 73 percent of the state's population ask this court to enforce their state constitution and to require the legislature to play by the rules before attempting to reduce the amount of tax revenues returned to the people."
In March, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed a controversial bill that changed how Florida counties are billed for Medicaid costs and forced counties to pay the state roughly $325.5 million in disputed Medicaid claims.
The FAC's complaint says the new Medicaid billing law violates two sections of the unfunded mandates provision of Florida's constitution and illegitimately requires payments of disputed bills that did not need to be kept on file before.
"This suit does not challenge whether counties should participate with the state in making its Medicaid payments," according to the complaint. "That policy decision was made long ago. Rather, counties want to pay their fair and accurate share of the Medicaid bills on behalf of their residents, which they have been prevented from doing because of a state billing system plagued with rampant errors…Forty counties representing 73 percent of the state's population ask this court to enforce their state constitution and to require the legislature to play by the rules before attempting to reduce the amount of tax revenues returned to the people."
More Articles on Florida Medicaid:
Florida Gov. Rick Scott Vetoes Healthcare Projects in Final $70B Budget
Florida Governor Rick Scott Signs Controversial Medicaid Payment Bill
Moody's: 5.6% Medicaid Cuts Credit Negative for Florida Non-Profit Hospitals