| Florida Forum
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| Florida Forum
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How sausage is made (or not)/TroxBlog
An issue I've written about a lot over the years, and a favorite pet peeve of mine, is the use of tax dollars by local government to tell people which way to vote. Sometimes it's a blatant use of public resources to say, "Vote yes on Measure So-and-So," "Vote No on Amendment 1," and so forth. Sometimes it's a more subtle campaign meant to "educate" the voters. The government has a powerful itch to influence the outcome of elections. Worst of all, doing it is usually portrayed as an apple-pie deed -- the government claims to have a "duty" to educate the voters on which way to vote!
Anyway, for the past couple of years, two Pinellas legislators -- state Sen. Charlie Justice, D-Tampa, and state Rep. Janet Long, D-Seminole, have offered a bill that would prohibit such "electioneering" by local governments. The bill is fairly tame -- it makes it clear that public OFFICIALS continue to have free speech just like everybody else. The bill even has a loophole for truly "educational" material, as long as it doesn't urge a particular election outcome. But Florida's cities, counties and school boards naturally dislike this bill, and it has failed to gain much support in the Legislature. The bills have languished in committee. (Bills that do not get passed always "languish" in committee, don't they?)
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| Florida Forum
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Governor Works To Help Uninsured Floridians
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today met with representatives of Florida’s health insurance industry who have expressed interest in competing for the opportunity to provide affordable coverage for Florida’s 3.8 million uninsured individuals through the Governor’s Cover Florida plan. Governor Crist has proposed legislation that will allow the State of Florida to negotiate with health insurers to develop affordable health coverage for uninsured Floridians ages 19 to 64.
“The number of uninsured individuals in Florida is a tragedy we can avoid, and I applaud the health insurance companies here today for their willingness to step forward to meet the needs of the people of Florida,” Governor Crist said. “I look forward to seeing the affordable benefits packages that insurers will develop to help provide affordable, quality choices for the people of Florida.”
Private insurers have indicated that the Governor’s Cover Florida plan would allow them to create benefits packages for about $150 per month or less. Benefits would include office visits, office surgery, behavioral health services, diabetic supplies, durable medical equipment and prosthetics, inpatient hospital stays, outpatient facility services and hospital emergency care services. Insurers would also competitively bid to provide supplemental coverage for vision, dental, cancer and discount medical options.
Health insurers supporting the Cover Florida plan represent over 93 percent of Florida’s small group insurance market. Representatives from the health insurance industry joining Governor Crist today were Steve de Montmollin of AvMed Health Plan, Christopher Ciano of Vista Health Plan, Joyce Kramzer of Blue Cross Blue Shield, John Hogan of Capital Health Plan, Jay Kassack of Amerigroup, Bob Wychulis of the Florida Association of Health Plans, John Matthews of United Healthcare and Jimmy Card of Preferred Medical Plans. Aetna, which was unable to have a representative at the meeting, also expressed support for the plan.
Senate Bill 2534, sponsored by Senator Durell Peaden of Crestview, would allow the State of Florida to negotiate with health insurers to develop affordable health insurance coverage for uninsured Floridians. Benefits will include basic preventive, primary and urgent care, including prescription drugs and hospitalization. Additionally, employers would not be required to participate in order for their employees to benefit; however, employers will be encouraged to participate and are able to receive tax benefits when cost-sharing premiums with employees.
Under the plan, policyholders would be able to carry dependents until age 30. Parents typically cannot carry dependents after age 25. The age 19 to 30 population has the highest rate of uninsured individuals, yet are typically more healthy, and will improve the insurer’s risk profile.
-- From the office of the governor
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| Florida Forum
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Opinion
Crist’s Plan To Make
Health Insurance Affordable
Deserves OK
ORLANDO -- In a year when lawmakers are hacking away at health-care programs for the poor, you'd think they'd jump at the chance to provide help for Florida's 3.8 million uninsured residents without spending a single penny of tax dollars.
You'd be wrong.
Gov. Charlie Crist has proposed a measured, reasonable plan to offer a basic health-insurance policy for about $150 a month, making coverage affordable to millions of Floridians.
Our Position: Crist’s Plan To Make Health Insurance Affordable Deserves OK/Orlando Sentinel/Editorial
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| Decision '08
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Polk May Play Big Part In Election
LAKELAND -- Political scientist Susan McManus said Florida should be a battleground state in the upcoming presidential election, and towns along the Interstate 4 corridor will be in the heart of it, since the area contains 43 percent of the state's registered voters.
That means Polk County will play a pivotal role in the politics leading up to the presidential election, said the University of South Florida professor, who spoke Thursday to a group of Leadership Lakeland alumni at the Peggy Brown building in downtown Lakeland. Leadership Lakeland is a program in which businesspeople and other community members spend a year learning about city and county government and arts, educational and other organizations.
Polk May Play Big Part In Election/Lakeland Ledger
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| Florida Forum
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ST. PETERSBURG — Gov. Charlie Crist has embarked on a new campaign, this time in search of health insurance for the estimated one-fifth of Floridians who don't have any.
Like his victorious drive to pass the Amendment 1 property tax cut on the ballot in January, Crist is on the road again "fighting" for "the boss," the people who he says once again desperately need help. He's visiting newspaper editorial boards and holding public events to tout his ideas.
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| News Point
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| Email the Editor
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| Florida Forum
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Crist's 'Cover Florida' Plan Offers Affordable Health Insurance Options
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Charlie Crist today applauded the Florida Legislature for passing Senate Bill 2534, providing affordable health insurance options to Florida’s 3.8 million uninsured individuals. The Governor’s Cover Florida plan will allow the State of Florida to negotiate with health insurers to develop affordable health coverage for uninsured Floridians ages 19 to 64. Small businesses will also be able to offer employees a variety of health care plans and services through a centralized clearinghouse.
“I applaud the Florida Legislature for making access to affordable health care a reality for Floridians who currently do not have coverage,” Governor Crist said. “There are lots of ways and ideas for how we can achieve this goal, and today, we have made great progress in providing uninsured individuals and small businesses choices in how to access health care coverage.”
Private insurers have indicated that the Governor’s Cover Florida plan would allow them to create benefits packages for about $150 per month or less. All benefit plans would include, at the very least, coverage for preventive services, screenings, office visits, outpatient and inpatient surgery, urgent care, prescription drugs, durable medical equipment, and diabetic supplies. Approved insurance companies also have to offer consumers a plan that includes catastrophic and hospital coverage. Insurers would also competitively bid to provide supplemental coverage, such as for vision, dental and cancer care.
Cover Florida focuses on the importance of primary and preventive care to discourage unnecessary and costly visits to the emergency room. Individuals who have been without insurance for at least six months will be eligible to participate. No mandates will require individuals or employers to participate; however, employers will be permitted to assist employees by allowing payroll deduction or cost-sharing premiums. Additionally, policyholders would have the option of carrying dependents until age 30, given the child meets certain criteria.
The legislation also creates the Florida Health Choices Corporation, a centralized clearinghouse or “marketplace,” where small businesses with less than 50 employees may offer employees a chance to choose from a variety of health care plans and services. These products will include prepaid services, flexible savings accounts, and traditional insurance products.
The corporation will be governed by a Board of Directors, comprised of appointees of the Governor, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House. The board will also include ex-officio members that represent related Florida state agencies. In order to ensure the integrity of board decisions, no board member may be appointed who has vested interest in the regulation of marketplace products. The corporation will also be subject to Florida’s public record and open government laws.
The Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) will review all risk-based products offered by the corporation and offer recommendations to the board regarding whether products should be offered to the public through the marketplace. OIR will also provide information to consumers about each risk-based product offered in the marketplace.
--from the Governor's Office
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| Florida Forum
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Senator Fasano At Top Of His Game
 TALLAHASSEE — When Florida legislators approve the state's slimmed down budget this week, no one may be as proud as Sen. Mike Fasano.
Despite the smallest state budget in four years, the New Port Richey Republican wedged in $10-million to help build roads near schools on his home turf, Pasco County. There's also $5-million to recruit companies to Pasco. And another $10-million to improve affordable housing in three counties. One of them: Pasco. And that's just a partial list for the senator, whose district also includes parts of Citrus, Hernando and Pinellas counties.
Photo: Mike Fasano/FrontPageFlorida.com file photo
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| Decision '08
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Florida DNC Member: We’re Treated Like A ‘Dog’
“Obviously the process and the rules don't count,'' said Florida DNC member Jon Ausman
ST. PETERSBURG -- A Florida Democratic National Committee member trying to give Florida a voice in the Democratic presidential nomination is fed up with the brushoff he says he's getting from the party.
"There's obviously a stall going on. … They're treating Florida worse than their own dog,'' said Jon Ausman of Tallahassee, who five weeks ago filed two appeals with the DNC's rules and bylaws committee, arguing that the committee overstepped its authority in stripping away Florida's delegates to the national convention.
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| Florida Forum
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Florida House Passes Health Insurance Bill
Part of the plan - the part that would allow health insurers to negotiate with the state to provide less-regulated coverage - is a top priority of Gov. Charlie Crist, who is hoping to reduce the number of uninsured in Florida. Currently, about 3.8 million of the state's 18 million residents don't have health insurance.
TALLAHASSEE - The House early Saturday passed a massive plan to make bare-bones health insurance available that wouldn't cover all illnesses, but also wouldn't cost as much.
A less wide-ranging proposal has already passed the Senate, but the goal of both plans is to provide cheaper coverage so that some of the nearly 4 million uninsured Floridians might be able to get insurance.
Currently, Florida law requires that several types of treatment be covered by health insurers. The bill passed Saturday (SB 2534) would allow the state to negotiate with insurance companies to provide policies that cover emergency care, prescription drugs, hospitalization and some other treatments, but not many of the types of care normally required. For example, they might not cover screenings for certain diseases, or transplants.
House Passes Health Insurance Bill /Tampa Tribune/AP
See below related op-ed by Gov. Charlie Crist
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| Florida Forum
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Opinion
For Uninsured Floridians, Gov. Crist Offers A Plan
By Charlie Crist
 TALLAHASSEE -- Advances in health care have given us longer lives and improved the quality of those bonus years. Unfortunately, as many as 47 million Americans – including 3.8 million Floridians – do not have health insurance, and therefore, do not have the opportunity to utilize many of the medical advances available. In fact, lack of health insurance is the number-one barrier to accessing health care.
As governor of Florida, I am deeply motivated to improving access to health care for the people of our state. Providing health care for the uninsured is about helping the most vulnerable among us. And it is also about helping hard-working Floridians who are self-employed or working for small businesses that cannot afford to provide health insurance for their employees.
Unfortunately, many Floridians are frustrated by the high cost of health insurance and are choosing to go without coverage. As a result, emergency rooms across the state are valiantly carrying the load of providing basic medical services to the uninsured.
Moving through the legislative process right now is a bill that will help provide affordable health insurance for Florida’s working families. Senate Bill 2534, sponsored by Senator Durell Peaden of Crestview, would allow state government to negotiate with health insurers to develop affordable health insurance coverage for uninsured Floridians.
Private health insurers have indicated a willingness to provide benefits packages for $150 or less per month. Granted, this coverage will not be your top-of-the-line health insurance plan. Instead, it will provide basic preventive, primary and urgent care benefits, including prescription drugs and hospitalization, to uninsured Floridians ages 19 to 64.
If the legislation passes, we will work to negotiate benefits such as office visits, office surgery, behavioral health services, diabetic supplies, durable medical equipment and prosthetics, inpatient hospital stays, outpatient facility services and hospital emergency care services. Insurers would also competitively bid to provide supplemental coverage for vision, dental, cancer and discount medical options.
My plan will use the state’s negotiating power in the same way we successfully negotiated and implemented www.FloridaDiscountDrugCard.com. Since we announced the discount card in December, more than 34,000 people have signed up for it – and more importantly, have saved more than $364,000 on their lifesaving prescription drugs.
Under my proposed plan, policyholders would be able to carry dependents until age 30. Parents typically cannot carry dependents after age 25. The population age 19 to 30 has the highest rate of uninsured individuals, yet is typically healthier, and will improve the insurer’s risk profile.
Additionally, Senate Bill 2534 contains no individual mandates and no employer mandates. Employers would not be required to participate in order for their employees to benefit; however, employers will be encouraged to participate in order to cost-share premiums with employees.
I encourage you to contact your legislators and let them know that we need to provide affordable health care coverage for uninsured Floridians. The time has come to provide health insurance to Florida’s uninsured.
Charlie Crist is governor of Florida.
Photo: Charlie Crist/FrontPageFlorida.com photo
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| Decision '08
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Clinton Interview In St. Petersburg Times Revealing; Florida Democrat Delegate Debacle Discussed
GRANTHAM, Pa. — Hillary Rodham Clinton rejected the idea of a backroom compromise deal between the candidates to resolve Florida's Democratic delegate mess, insisting a solution must come from the national Democratic Party.
And failing to give Florida and Michigan a voice in the presidential nomination would leave the legitimacy of the nomination in question, the New York senator said.
In an exclusive interview with the St. Petersburg Times, Clinton offered her most extensive remarks on the delegate problem and pushed back at the Democratic National Committee's philosophy of having the campaigns approve a settlement.
Florida's vote boosts nominee's legitimacy, Clinton says/Adam C. Smith/St. Petersburg Times
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| Decision '08
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Opinion
McCain's Path To Victory
 WASHINGTON - It is April of 2008, a time when the Republican brand is at an all-time low. And yet somehow, some way, John McCain is hanging in there. He is proving to be perhaps the only electable Republican in the country, short of Colin Powell or the ineligible Arnold Schwarzenegger. Conservatives may not be thrilled with what a McCain presidency means, but if social conservatives care about the makeup of the House and Senate, as well state legislatures and the courts, then they should rally around McCain. They know better than most the importance of controlling the legislative and judicial branches to achieve long-term MSNBC News/Chuck Todd
Photo: John McCain/FrontPageFlorida.com photo
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| Decision '08
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Up-to-date coverge of Decision '08
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| Decision' 08
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| Florida Forum
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Florida sues Poe family over insurance companies' finances
ST, PETERSBURG -- Former Tampa Mayor Bill Poe Sr. and 19 others, including his wife and five children, have been sued by Florida regulators for engaging in what the state alleges was an elaborate scheme to divert more than $140-million from three property insurance companies even as the companies hurtled toward bankruptcy.
The 94-page lawsuit filed by the Florida Department of Financial Services alleges that as the Poe companies were taking huge losses from the eight hurricanes that struck Florida in 2004 and 2005, management began to move money around to protect itself from potential creditors.
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