Scott, Sebelius Talk Medicaid, Obamacare
January 8, 2013
After emerging from a meeting with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Gov. Rick Scott said Monday he asked for the federal government to “expedite” approval of Florida’s controversial proposals to shift most Medicaid beneficiaries into managed-care plans.
But Scott offered few details about their discussion on another major issue — how, or if, the state will carry out key parts of the federal Affordable Care Act.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, Scott reiterated his oft-repeated concern about the costs of the 2010 law, commonly known as Obamacare. In the coming months, state lawmakers are expected to consider whether Florida should take part in running a health-insurance exchange and expand eligibility for Medicaid, two pieces of the law aimed at helping more people get health coverage.
“Growing government, it’s never free,” Scott said. “It always costs money.”
A Health and Human Services official, speaking on background, said Sebelius noted during the meeting that Florida has the third-highest rate of uninsured residents in the country. Sebelius encouraged Scott to work in partnership with the federal government on an insurance exchange and also said the law would lead to the federal government paying 100 percent of the costs of a Medicaid eligibility expansion during the first three years and 90 percent of the costs later.
Scott, who made his fortune as a hospital-company executive, helped hatch his political career by being a vocal opponent of President Obama’s efforts to overhaul the health-care system. Scott and other Florida Republican leaders fought the Affordable Care Act legally and politically but in recent weeks — after a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision and Obama’s re-election — have grappled with how to move forward with the law.
At the same time, Florida has been seeking federal approval of proposals that would ultimately lead to Medicaid beneficiaries statewide signing up with HMOs and other types of managed-care plans. Scott and Republican lawmakers approved the proposals in 2011 but have waited more than a year for decisions by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which is under Sebelius.
State Medicaid director Justin Senior said last month he expects a February decision about one of the proposals, which would lead to managed care for seniors who need long-term care services. It is unclear, however, when the federal government will make a decision about another proposal that would affect the broader Medicaid population.
“I’ve asked the secretary if she would expedite those and get those finished,” Scott said after the meeting with Sebelius, a former Kansas governor.
But state Rep. Mark Pafford, a West Palm Beach Democrat who is critical of shifting beneficiaries into HMOs, issued a statement Monday that warned against Scott trying to link the managed-care proposals and the Affordable Care Act in discussions with Sebelius. Pafford said he hopes Scott “isn’t demanding that expansion of the Medicaid program (under the Affordable Care Act) be contingent upon federal approval of a controversial Medicaid HMO-managed experiment.”
After more than two years of largely refusing to carry out the Affordable Care Act, the state House and Senate have formed committees that will study the law during the upcoming legislative session. While the law has various implications for the state, much of the discussion centers on a health insurance exchange and the potential expansion of Medicaid eligibility.
Under the Affordable Care Act, each state will have an online exchange aimed at helping consumers shop for insurance coverage. Depending on their income levels, many people will qualify for federal subsidies to help afford coverage. The federal government is expected in January 2014 to begin running an exchange for Florida, though the state could enter into a partnership or eventually run an exchange itself.
Florida does not have to carry out the Medicaid expansion, which would increase income thresholds and also open the program to many childless adults who currently do not qualify. Supporters, such as Pafford, say the expansion would reduce the amount of uncompensated care provided by hospitals and health professionals and would prevent thousands of deaths each year.
While the federal government says it would cover virtually all of the expansion costs in the initial years, Scott has repeatedly warned that the increased eligibility and other changes in the Affordable Care Act would lead to hefty costs for Florida’s Medicaid program.
Scott on Monday pointed to an estimate by his Agency for Health Care Administration of $26 billion over 10 years, though that is substantially higher than other estimates. The governor said he was trying to look out for Florida families.
“We want good access to health care, quality health care but (at) a price that they can afford,” Scott said.
By The News Service of Florida
Cruisers Unlimited Donates To Ronald McDonald House
January 8, 2013
The Cruisers Unlimited car and truck club of Atmore recently presented a generous donation to the Ronald McDonald House in Atmore.
Last summer, the car enthusiast group also held a small car show and grilled dinner for the Ronald McDonald House residents. The local Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home for family members of children who travel from their homes to receive medical treatment in Pensacola.
Pictured top: Todd Parker of Cruisers Unlimited presents a check to Twana Bright, event manager for the Ronald McDonald House. Pictured below: Cruisers Unlimited provided dinner and a small car show for the Ronald McDonald House last summer. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
School Board Approves North Escambia School Personnel Changes
January 8, 2013
The Escambia County School Board approved several North Escambia teacher and staff transfers, resignations, and appointments during their last meeting.
The school board made the following changes among teachers and staff at schools across North Escambia:
Instructional/Professional Appointments
- Sami L. Amico, teacher, Ernest Ward Middle
Out of Field Appointments
- Leonard R. Sellers, Ernest Ward Middle
- Leslie R. Sellers, Northview High
Resignations, Retirements
- Christina M. Grey, teacher, Tate High
- Clinton Lott, assistant principal, Tate High
Leaves Of Absence
- Candice R. Blackburn, teacher, Molino Park
- Jill M. Laborde, teacher, Bratt Elementary
Education Support Appointments
- Pamela K. Averill, custodial worker I, Ransom Middle
Education Support Temporary Promotions
- Virginia J. Smith, food service assistant I to food service assistant II, Jim Allen
Education Support Resignations, Retirements
- Eunice M. Mooney, food service assistant I, Bratt Elementary
Inmate Passes Away On Alabama’s Death Row
January 7, 2013
An inmate on Alabama’ s death row has passed away of natural causes.
Alabama Department of Corrections death row inmate Clarence Leland Simmons,74, was pronounced dead at approximately 12:38 a.m., on Monday, January 7. Simmons died of multiple chronic illnesses with final cause of death pending autopsy results from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Simmons passed away in the healthcare unit at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore.
Convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death out of Jefferson County on January 9, 1998, Simmons served 16 years, 11 months, and 29 days on Alabama’s death row.
Pictured: Alabama death row inmate Clarence Leland Simmons seen in an undated photograph.
Body Found In Baldwin County Identified As Escambia Woman
January 7, 2013
Human remains found last month in Baldwin County have been identified as a Pensacola woman missing since October.
Bones found in Baldwin County on December 17 are those of 55-year old Nancy Craycraft, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Craycraft had been missing since October 19 when she was seen leaving Chan’s Nightclub on East Nine Mile Road. Her vehicle was discovered in Baldwin County on October 21.
In November, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said they had interviewed the man last seen in Craycraft’s company. He was not charged with any crime.
The remains were identified with the assistance of DNA testing by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Escambia and Baldwin County investigators are continuing to work together on the case.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP or the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620.
Escambia’s Child Death Rate Among State’s Highest
January 7, 2013
A new report says Escambia County has one of the highest child death rates in the state.
The annual Statewide Child Abuse Death Review Committee report shows 100 children died in Escambia County in 2011. Four of those deaths were verified to be the result of child abuse or neglect.
There were only seven counties in Florida reporting more child deaths — all much larger counties like Orange, Duval and Miami-Dade. Only six counties had more children die as the result of child abuse.
In Santa Rosa County, there were seven child deaths reported, with one of those deaths the result of child abuse or neglect.
Statewide, there were 126 child deaths verified to be the result of abuse or neglect in 2011, 62 of those were caused by drowning or unsafe sleeping practices with infants.
So many of these deaths are preventable,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary David Wilkins. “By working together, we can all do more to educate parents and caregivers and prevent these tragedies in the future.”
Some of the report’s findings include the following:
- The number of child deaths in Florida continues to decrease.
- Children under four are at the highest risk of dying, especially from preventable causes such as drowning and co-sleeping.
- Domestic violence intervention in families’ lives can prevent some child abuse deaths.
- Neglect is the leading factor in verified child deaths. Drowning is the top cause.
The Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) worked collaboratively with the Statewide Child Abuse Death Review Committee, local death review teams, law enforcement, prosecutors, medical professionals and prevention specialists to identify risk factors associated with these types of deaths and to develop training on preventive measures.
Century Council To Consider Water Rate Hike
January 7, 2013
The Century Town Council considered a water rate hike at Monday night’s regular council meeting.
The town is considering an overall 10 percent rate hike to be implemented with an immediate 5 percent increase and additional 5 percent increase six months later.
If the ordinance passes, the rate for the first 1,500 gallons of water will increase to $9.45 on February 1 and increase again to $9.90 on August 1. Each additional 1,000 gallons will be $2.27 on February 1 and $2.49 on August 1. Sewer rates will remain the same at $13 for the first 6,000 gallons of water used.
The rate increase would be the first in the Century since 1995. In the past, the town has had difficulty applying for, or receiving the full amount of, federal grants for the water system because Century’s rates were markedly lower than surrounding areas.
The first reading of the ordinance was held during the town’s regular council meeting Monday night, with a second reading and vote scheduled for 7 p.m. on January 28.
Tate Grad Leads Alabama’s Million Dollar Band
January 7, 2013
A Tate High School graduate led the University of Alabama’s Million Dollar Band during Monday night’s BCS National Championship game.
Drum major Benjamin Carmichael is a 2009 Tate graduate. This is his fourth year with the Million Dollar Band and this third National Championship performance. He served as trumpet section leader for two years before being named drum major this year. He will graduate from UA with a degree in mechanical engineering in May and will enter graduate school in the fall.
Carmichael marched for four years in the Tate High Showband of the South.
Pictured: University of Alabama Million Dollar Band drum major Benjamin Carmichael, a 2009 Tate High School graduate. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jeff Miller: Voting Against Fiscal Cliff Deal
January 7, 2013
Late on New Year’s Eve, a deal was struck behind closed doors in the Senate to avert the “fiscal cliff”—the return to Clinton-era tax rates and the implementation of deep cuts to defense and other discretionary spending imposed under Sequestration. The Senate, without having sufficient time to read the full bill, quickly voted to pass this deal and left town. The House met on New Year’s Day to take up the bill as passed by the Senate and 257 members voted in favor of passage. I voted against it.
Our nation currently sits at the bottom of a fiscal well, drowning in more than $16.4 trillion in debt—debt that has grown by more than $1 trillion in each of the four years since President Obama was first elected, and that is projected to continue its runaway growth into perpetuity. Rather than embracing a solution that addresses the roots of our current fiscal crisis—debt and spending—this deal raises taxes on job creators, makes no significant reforms to entitlements or cuts to discretionary spending, and increases our debt by an additional $4 trillion over the next 10 years. Furthermore, it doesn’t reasonably address Sequestration’s cuts to our national defense, but again kicks the can down the road.
Rather than cutting spending, the bill I voted against adds $134 billion in stimulus spending, extends for the 11th time the “temporary” unemployment benefits extension, re-establishes the death tax at a 40 percent rate, and continues the marriage penalty. And despite the President’s claims to the contrary, this bill does in fact raise taxes on middle class Americans. That middle class tax increase comes from the expiration of the two percent payroll tax cut. So, every American worker, regardless of income, will see a two percent increase in their tax bill. If you make $30,000 per year, your tax bill will increase by $600 this year.
The painful, uncomfortable truth we need to confront as a community of Americans is this: we cannot tax our way out of this crisis. Washington has a problem because it spends too much, not because it doesn’t tax enough. Even if we raise taxes on top earners to 100 percent, we still will not generate enough revenue to close our budget deficit and begin paying down our mountain of debt. In fact, according to House Budget Chairman, Paul Ryan, taxing top earners at 100 percent would only run the government for two and a half to three months. The fact of the matter is that government spending on entitlements and unnecessary discretionary programs has grown to unsustainable levels. The longer we take to confront this truth, the closer our nation comes to fiscal and economic ruin.
The President and his administration are correct that we need a balanced approach to deficit reduction, but their definition of “balanced” is unrealistic. In their minds, a deal in which we cut $1 in spending for every $41 in tax increases, while adding $4 trillion to the debt, is “balanced.” That is the kind of math that put us in our current predicament, and it is a dangerous mindset for the people who are supposed to lead us on a path to prosperity.
A responsible, truly balanced approach to deficit reduction will include long-overdue entitlement reforms that restore sustainability to programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and ensure their viability for future generations. A balanced approach will include tax code reforms that simplify our tax code, lower rates, and provide individuals and businesses with the certainty they need to achieve success. Finally, a balanced approach will eliminate wasteful spending on unnecessary government programs to ensure we have the resources to invest in the core functions of government laid out by our Founders in the Constitution.
The elements of a balanced approach I just laid out were conspicuously absent in the deal agreed to on New Year’s Day. I was not elected to this office to enable the irresponsible behavior that got us in our current predicament, and I will not be deceived by attempts to sugarcoat wasteful legislation. This is why I voted against the fiscal cliff deal, and it is why I will continue to fight for legislation that reins in wasteful government spending.
Red Light Camera Repeal Filed As Report Says Crashes Down
January 7, 2013
A South Florida lawmaker filed legislation Friday to repeal the law allowing the use of red light cameras, following a report earlier this week that says intersections where they’re used have seen drops in crashes in most places.
Rep. Daphne Campbell, D-Miami, filed legislation Friday seeking to end the use of the cameras, saying they unfairly dole out tickets to people who can’t defend themselves, noting that malfunctioning cameras can’t be cross-examined.
Meanwhile, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles released a report Thursday showing that crashes were less frequent at red light camera intersections, based on data from 73 agencies. The report said accidents were less frequent in intersections with cameras in 41 jurisdictions but up in such intersections in 11 jurisdictions.
The rest of the 73 jurisdictions where they are in use didn’t have the data, and the state didn’t say what the overall numbers were in the report, which was sent to lawmakers.
Since state law was changed in 2010 to allow local governments to use the cameras to catch red light runners they’ve been under attack. A repeal effort was mounted starting the very next year in the Legislature.
Campbell’s legislation (HB 91) would repeal the state law that authorizes their use. The law also sets out how the money from such tickets is allocated. Before there was a state law, some local jurisdictions used them, but there was considerable confusion about whether they were legal. Even since the law has been passed, their use has continued to be challenged in court.
“The red light camera companies exploit victims to push Florida laws to gain millions,” Campbell said in a statement. “People are presumed guilty by the picture of the camera. The corporations are the ones making the money.”
The Florida League of Cities, however, said Friday that keeping the cameras is a top priority of local governments.
“Providing cities with the tools they need to keep residents safe is the Florida League of Cities’ No. 1 priority, and this technology has been proven to help authorities punish lawbreakers, reduce dangerous T-bone crashes and change the behavior of those drivers who selfishly choose to run red lights,” the league said in a statement.
Local governments don’t want to lose their share of the revenue from the $158 fines paid by people caught on red light cameras, but also say their law enforcement budgets are strained and the cameras help them enforce laws they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
“While the data in this report suggests a significant positive effect on traffic safety, the Florida League of Cities believes the government closest to the people governs best, and nobody knows a city better than its residents,” the league’s statement said. “Some municipalities have determined that red light running is not a problem in their community and have chosen not to install traffic infraction detectors. Other cities, after holding public hearings and listening to concerned citizens, have determined that red light safety cameras will make their streets safer.”
Campbell’s bill is yet to be assigned to a committee.
By The News Service of Florida