Background Screening Bill On Fast Track in House -- The House Criminal & Civil Justice Policy Council voted unanimously in favor of a proposed committee bill that makes major changes to the background screening requirements for licensed entities that are required by law to screen employees and contractors.  The bill requires Level 2 screening of employees that provide care to residents or have access to resident funds or personal property. It also requires screening of contractors that provide care and services directly to residents. Mary Ellen Early was among those who testified. She asked committee members to consider an amendment that would allow licensees to stagger rescreening of employees that have not been screened within the past five years.  In addition, she spoke about the fiscal impact on providers and suggested that a Medicaid add-on should be considered to cover a portion of the cost for providers that serve Medicaid recipients.  Afterwards, Mary Ellen and other interested parties met with Council staff to discuss possible amendments to address concerns about implementing and paying for the proposed enhanced screening.  The changes apply to nursing homes, ALFs, home health agencies, adult day programs, hospices, and most other AHCA-regulated entities. Please participate in the 2010 Legislative Session Preview conference call tomorrow (February 19) at 2 p.m. to learn more about this bill.

Unemployment Compensation Fix Ready For Floor Vote -- HB 7033 passed out the House Finance & Tax Council this week and is now ready for a floor vote in the House. The bill would provide relief to businesses that were hit with huge increases in Unemployment Compensation Tax this year. It will probably be among the first bills to pass the House.

Bill Filed on Medicaid Fraud -- Legislation filed this week by Sen. Charlie Justice (D-St. Petersburg) would allow the Department of Health to expand the list of health care providers whose licenses can be suspended, revoked or denied if they're found to be involved in Medicaid fraud.  Lawmakers last year passed legislation to revoke the licenses of doctors, hospitals and pharmacists who are found guilty of fraud, but the bill (SB 1958), filed by Justice, would extend the requirement to other professionals. The bill also would require that the Office of Insurance Regulation revoke a certificate of authority for health insurers involved in Medicaid fraud. The just-filed bill hasn't received any committee assignments yet.

NEW Projections Show $1.34 Billion Medicaid Deficit -- State economists now project that state/federal spending for Florida's Medicaid program will be $18.8 billion or $1.34 billion higher than what lawmakers budgeted last year.  This translates into a $450 million deficit in state general revenue funding that will have to be made up from state reserves.  The estimates, which were released on Monday, also indicate that Medicaid is expected to grow to $19.1 billion, or about two percent, for the 2010-11 fiscal year.  The news does not bode well for budget makers or providers and consumers who depend on Medicaid for health care.

Source: LobbyTools Exclusive News, 2/16/2010

Report Questions Medicaid Waiver Program -- A report released by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability concluded that the Alzheimer's Disease waiver program in Broward, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, and Pinellas counties isn't as cost effective as some of the other waiver programs the state offers.  According to the report, the five year old program that provides beneficiaries 11 different Alzheimer's Disease services does not delay nursing home entry any more effectively than other programs, and costs between 10 to 28 percent more than what the state pays for three other waiver program aimed at keeping people out of nursing homes.