Hospital CEOs in Florida lobbied Gov. Rick Scott to dole out extra funds as the state moves to a new Medicaid payment system, and it worked, as the former hospital executive turned governor approved $65 million in "transitional payments," according to News Service of Florida and Sunshine State News reports.
The $65 million will go to safety-net hospitals in some of Florida's largest urban areas, such as Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami and Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Earlier this year, Florida officials recommended that the state's managed care Medicaid program implement diagnosis-related group payments, or prospective payments, for hospital stays instead of the current per diem payment system.
However, Gov. Scott approved the funds as long as the hospitals will not request the same appropriations for next year. "…We have received commitments from the recipient hospitals that they will not request or accept these funds for the 2014-15 state fiscal year to ensure that the transitional payments are truly transitional," Gov. Scott wrote in a letter, according to the report.
The Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida has still called on the state to make changes to the Medicaid DRG formula to account for extra costs teaching hospitals have to bear, according to the report.
The $65 million will go to safety-net hospitals in some of Florida's largest urban areas, such as Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami and Shands at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Earlier this year, Florida officials recommended that the state's managed care Medicaid program implement diagnosis-related group payments, or prospective payments, for hospital stays instead of the current per diem payment system.
However, Gov. Scott approved the funds as long as the hospitals will not request the same appropriations for next year. "…We have received commitments from the recipient hospitals that they will not request or accept these funds for the 2014-15 state fiscal year to ensure that the transitional payments are truly transitional," Gov. Scott wrote in a letter, according to the report.
The Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida has still called on the state to make changes to the Medicaid DRG formula to account for extra costs teaching hospitals have to bear, according to the report.
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