Rick Scott Signs Medicaid Bill Counties Opposed

Gov. Rick Scott signed a controversial Medicaid bill, HB 5301, on Thursday that will require counties to pay more into Medicaid, including 85 percent of what the state claims are years of unpaid bills.

"I respectfully acknowledge the concern this provision may create for some counties," Scott wrote in a letter announcing his signature. " ... To that end, I have pledged to the counties that AHCA and my staff will work diligently with them to certify that any billings for which counties are charged are accurate and valid."

The governor said AHCA officials will visit every county in the state to discuss their problems with the billing system.

Legislators have said the state has been unable to collect from counties full payment for Medicaid bills for residents who receive health care through the state-federal program for low-income and disabled patients. They put the past-due tab near $300 million.

Yet, the Association of Counties has countered that the past-due payments are the fault of state accounting errors.

To say that were disappointed would be an understatement, Doug Smith, Florida Association of Counties president and Martin County commissioner, stated in a release.

This bill represents the worst kind of body blow to taxpayers. Rather than correcting Tallahassees error-ridden Medicaid billing system, HB 5301 codifies it and leaves local taxpayers with the bill.

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