Floridas budget-busting Medicaid program will see cuts next year, and several state agencies will be under new management if proposals that made it through the Senate Budget Committee Friday go all the way.
The Medicaid spending measure would save $300 million in funds -- $200 million in state funds and $100 million in federal funds -- by eliminating the states Medically Needy program, which benefits those who would otherwise be ineligible for Medicaid, but whose medical condition is financially burdensome.
Democrats were quick to pounce on the measure, stating that it would lead to the death of sick people in need who couldnt afford life-saving procedures and medicine.
There needs to be a balance here or there are people that are going to be dying and thats not an exaggeration, thats the truth, Senate Minority Leader Nan Rich, D-Weston, said.
Republicans took umbrage at the rhetoric and noted that cuts that didnt fall on Medicaid would likely fall on other big-spending measures like education and compensation for state workers, for which Democrats would also like to find more revenue.
I dont believe Im sentencing anybody to death by voting for this bill, said Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine.
The Medically Needy program is funded through April 1, 2012, and Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, who helped push the measure, said those affected by the cuts could seek out other federal programs for their needs. If the economy rebounds, though, he would put the money back in and fund the program.
Im hoping that in the event we have additional funds available ... this would be my top priority for restoring, Negron said.
Floridas Medicaid program currently takes up nearly 30 percent of the budget, and is projected to grow in future years. Reform measures in the House and Senate would mitigate that, but Republicans say cuts are also needed.
Legislative leaders in both chambers have pledged not to raise taxes this year in order to balance the budget and fix Floridas $3.8 billion deficit, leading to what many senators called tough choices on what to fund. Democrats bemoaned that approach, with Rich calling for the closing of tax loopholes on corporations and looking at other revenue sources to fund the programs they deem necessary.
There is not only one option here, and we are just stuck on the one option, which is to cut, cut, Rich said.
Negron said he would entertain any revenue-raising ideas Rich has, but their chances for success are extremely unlikely.
The people of Florida cant keep taking more taxes, said Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, who chairs the Budget Committee.
The committee also voted to merge the Department of Community Affairs and the Agency for Workforce Innovation into one Jobs Florida agency. Also, the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development would go under the direct supervision of the governor.
The changes would mean about $8.3 million in annual savings, but despite the significance of the moves, most of the debate centered on the fate of Floridas Early Learning program. Under the proposal, the program would move from AWI to the Department of Education.
Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville, offered an amendment to move the program to the Department of Children and Families, but it was shot down.
Other bills that moved suicide prevention and state adoption programs out from under the direct oversight of the governors office and into DCF were narrowly approved by the committee.
Democrats and even some Republicans expressed concern over moving those programs without maintaining their funding.
I wish everyone would take a look at DCF. Every time someone wants to put something somewhere, it falls on DCF, Rich said.
But others wanted to give Gov. Rick Scott, who originated the idea, the chance to determine how his office should run.
I think the governor is entitled to the benefit of the doubt as far as how to organize his office, Negron said.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
