As the 2011 Florida legislative session entered its final hours on May 6, the two chambers reached compromise language on two bills that significantly remake the state's Medicaid program.
The discussions and subsequent legislation centered on the expansion of a pilot program initiated in 2006 by then-Gov. Jeb Bush that moved thousands of Medicaid recipients into managed care plans controlled by private insurance companies or medical provider networks. Since its inception, the project has been restricted to five of Florida's 67 counties: Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, and Broward.
Some lawmakers wanted to take the program statewide, claiming it would save tax payers $1.1 billion in 2012 while improving patient care. Opponents—primarily Democrats—questioned the tax savings and expressed concern about moving some 3 million people into the new program. Rep. Charles Chestnut, D-Gainesville, was outspoken, saying, "This sucks," after listing problems he saw with the two bills.
Recommended For You
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader
Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
