AHCA: Medicaid Research Project: FHIS 2004

The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is a recipient of a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) State Planning Grant to conduct another statewide study of the uninsured in Florida. This year’s Florida Health Insurance Study takes the process further by exploring the policy options that could be crafted as a result of the research findings. As part of this process, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) through Academy Health, a think tank organization based in Washington D.C. has made technical assistance available to HRSA/SPG grantees. In May 2004, a site visit was conducted with AHCA and South Florida health experts to begin this policy dialog. The Health Council of South Florida was invited to co-chair and serve as the host organization for the event.

Key speakers at the event included Ken Thurston, Bureau of Medicaid Research, AHCA, and Paul Duncan, Ph.D., University of Florida who is the Principal Investigator of the research study. Also participating were Steven Marcus, Ed.D., Health Foundation of South Florida; JC del Valle, Office of the Mayor of Miami-Dade; Dwight Chenette, Health Care District of Palm Beach County; and John Benz, Broward Memorial Healthcare System who addressed the public policy environment. Local perspectives on preserving coverage and enhancing the healthcare safety net were provided by discussants Joe Rogers, Jackson Health System; David Rogoff, Hillsborough County; and Mike DeLucca, Broward Regional Health Planning Council, among others. Representation from two of the local health flex plans, Preferred Medical Plan and American Care were also present to share their field experiences.

Alice Burton and Jeremy Alberga of AcademyHealth offered their insights on what is happening across the country in relation to the South Florida experience. At the local levels, the approaches vary. Hillsborough and Palm Beach counties utilize a health plan model for the uninsured; whereas Miami-Dade and Broward counties utilize well-developed integrated service delivery systems. Independent of the models, there was much agreement about the importance of preserving safety net services, building consensus and fostering a greater focus on wellness and prevention. Several questions were raised about Medicaid reforms/waivers and the need for a public process. Other topics included establishment/expansion of high risk pools, management of pharmaceutical costs, assurance of immigrant access to care, preservation of the Upper Payment Limit (UPL) funding stream, and maintenance of an employer based model.

For more information you may contact Ms. Sonya Albury, Executive Director of the Health Council of South Florida at 305-592-1452 or call the AcademyHealth at 202-292-6700 and ask for their publication: State of the States – Cultivating Hope in Rough Terrain, January 2004.

Agenda [72KB PDF]

List of Individuals Attending the RWJ Site Visit [88KB PDF]

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