Call to Action: County Inmate Medical Bill (SB 218 / HB 319)
Friday, February 05, 2010
On Feb 3, 2010, FAC sent you the following message asking you reach out to Legislative committee members to educate them on this important issue that will save your county significant dollars. If you haven’t done so already, please take a moment and reach out today.
What you can do:
Contact members of the House Public Safety and Domestic Security Committee and Senate Health Regulation Committee and let them know the savings your county and taxpayers will receive if this bill (SB 218 / HB 319) passes.
Reach out to members of the Senate Community Affairs Committee and thank them for their important vote on this bill.
Latest Update:
On February 2, 2010 the House Public Safety and Domestic Security Committee and Senate Community Affairs Committee took up and debated the County Inmate Medical Bill (SB 218 / HB 319). The debate went back and forth in the House committee with it eventually being temporarily postponed until a future date. The Senate committee passed the bill after debate and it now goes to the Senate Health Regulation Committee. This bill would assist counties in controlling costs by providing set rates when no contract exist between a medical provider and a Sheriff for arrestees. Right now, when no contract exists counties can pay up to 400% of the actual cost of providing the medical service.
In the House, Rep. Hooper presented the bill which was hotly debated. Representatives Waldman and Ray voiced their opinion that hospitals should not be forced to accept the Medicare rate. In fact, many Sheriffs have negotiated rates with providers that are below
Medicaid and Medicare rates. It is important for members of this committee to realize that this bill only affects those hospitals and medical providers who refuse to sign contracts with Sheriffs and charge exceedingly high costs for persons who have been injured at the time of arrest. The law states that the hospital should first seek reimbursement from the individual who has been arrested, or their insurer first, prior to billing the local government. Please educate your members on the Public Safety and Domestic Security Committee about this bill. Let them know how much this bill will save your county.
In the Senate, Senator Jones presented SB 218 related to inmate medical expense. Senator Storms filed a courtesy amendment that increased the reimbursement rate from Medicaid to 110% of Medicare, which addressed some of the concerns at the last committee meeting. The amendment also exempted emergency room physicians. Senator Jones mentioned a news article that highlighted the hospital CEO's in the Bay Area receive salaries in excess of $1 million. Additionally, he indicated that many of the patients receiving care at these hospitals receive Medicaid. The ultimate goal of this legislation is to reduce the costs to Florida's tax payer, not to increase the profits of the hospitals. The bill passed out of the Senate Community Affairs Committee unanimously and FAC asks that you take a moment to thank the members of that committee for their important vote. The next stop for SB 218 is the Senate Health Regulation Committee. FAC also asks that you contact those Senators and educated them on this bill and the savings it will bring to your county and local taxpayers.
Background:
For important points to raise to Representatives and Senators, please click here
For additional information on the bill and this issue please visit FAC's website.
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