Florida will spend $2 million on consultant to overhaul Medicaid

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Next Medicaid consultant could earn $2 million

http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=22822530 & utm_source=not_lt_user & utm_medium=article_link & utm_campaign=current_email

Jordan Sexton, 05/03/2011 - 03:42 PM

Florida will spend $2 million on a consultant who can help the state implement the Medicaid overhaul that is expected to be passed this session.

The money appeared during the last round of budget negotiations and the offer to spend the money was made by the Senate. According to the provision that mandates the contract, the consultant must have at least 15 years experience in the development of statewide managed care models in other states.

“Past experience must include projects to assist other states with managed care initiatives involving both medical assistance and long term care, working with states to modify and secure extensions of 1115 waivers, and helping states to execute a competitive procurement of managed care organizations to provide Medicaid services,'' reads the provision.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services sent a letter to Florida last week advising the state that it wouldn't approve the state's current Medicaid 1115 request, but looked forward to approving the waiver so long as certain conditions were met, such as medical loss ratios.

Florida CHAIN Policy Coordinator Greg Mellowe said many of the provisions laid out in the CMS letter are not included in either the House or Senate Medicaid bill that is being negotiated in the waning days of session.

"In lieu of devoting the effort and resources needed to actually ensure that managed care implementation is sound, safe and sustainable, the Legislature will as an afterthought spend millions on experts who will attempt to persuade federal officials that this is the case," Mellowe said.