Our Health Policy Matters

Florida recently elected to turn down – again – over $2 million in Federal money to pay the administrative costs of expanding its Medicaid long term care program’s home and community based services. In March 2011, Florida qualified for over $35 million to join most of the rest of the nation in participating in the Money Follows the Person program.   The program was created during the Bush Administration as a way of helping people move back out of nursing homes into the community.   It became so popular in the 29 states (and District of Columbia) participating in it that it was expanded as part of health reform.   Thirteen additional states, including Florida, were invited to participate.   Former Governor Charlie Crist authorized Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to file Florida’s application. Rejecting the program means that people who want to leave Florida nursing homes won’t be given control of the resources they need to do so.   ...

Florida recently elected to turn down – again – over $2 million in Federal money to pay the administrative costs of expanding its Medicaid long term care program’s home and community based services. In March 2011, Florida qualified for over $35 million to join most of the rest of the nation in participating in the Money Follows the Person program.   The program was created during the Bush Administration as a way of helping people move back out of nursing homes into the community.   It became so popular in the 29 states (and District of Columbia) participating in it that it was expanded as part of health reform.   Thirteen additional states, including Florida, were invited to participate.   Former Governor Charlie Crist authorized Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to file Florida’s application. Rejecting the program means that people who want to leave Florida nursing homes won’t be given control of the resources they need to do so.   ...