Fla. Senate panel diverts low-cost housing funds and ravages the Medically Needy program

[tpsbmam]

From Business Week:

A proposal that would permanently divert at least $194 million annually in real estate-related taxes from Florida's affordable housing program to general state spending won approval Friday from the Senate Budget Committee.

The panel also voted to slash health care spending for transplant recipients and other "medically needy" patients with catastrophic illness but who lack sufficient insurance coverage.

Those were among several cost-cutting bills the committee approved that would conform state law to a $69.8 billion budget the panel approved Thursday for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

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Committee Chairman JD Alexander responded that overbuilding is a big part of Florida's economic problems and he couldn't envision a need for those funds for at least five more years because the program also gets $1.6 billion annually from the federal government and other sources.

The Medically Needy cutback goes into effect after a year and leaves people dependent on the program for their medical needs without prescription coverage, transportation to and from medical appointments, and more.

The medically needy program covers the sickest Floridians "who have experienced catastrophic illness and have no health coverage or who have depleted their benefits."

Current Situation:

Florida’s Medically Needy program served approximately 177,500 chronically ill Floridians in Fiscal Year 2009-10. These individuals are among the state’s sickest citizens and are in desperate need of extensive medical services. Governor Scott’s budget proposes over $1.0 billion in drastic cuts to this program. Beginning July 1, 2012, adult enrollees will only have access to primary care and physician services. The Senate has also recommended these same cuts to pharmacy, hospital and other benefits in its proposed Medicaid Reform bill.

The Impact:
The personal impact, as described in the case examples below, can be devastating to individuals without coverage. Many of these patients suffer from heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases and digestive diseases. The Medically Needy program serves as a safety net to these patients and has allowed many to continue to live their lives as normally as possible without fear of medical bankruptcy or loss of vital, lifesaving services.

Transplant anti-rejection meds won't be covered. Cancer patients' medications won't be covered. Any number of catastrophic illnesses requiring multiple expensive medications won't be covered.

And from ReTHUGlican Joe Negron, chair of the Senate’s health budget committee:

Negron also noted that there are federal programs that could help those who might lose services through the state cuts. The program is funded through April 1, 2012, so that anyone who might lose funds to pay for prescription drugs or other services can start applying for federal programs now.

I thought you guys hated the Feds and wanted drastic cutbacks there, too. Instead, once again you take away state funding and rely on the Feds. And with the Federal cutbacks, chances are all of these people are SOL. Lemme guess -- not your problem.

This isn't a done deal. The House budget doesn't have cuts to either program and it's possible the dire cuts to both programs won't occur. If the ReTHUGS have their way, though, the homeless population will spiral upwards and people will die.

Democratic leader Nan Rich: “We literally sentence people to death,” Rich said. “Because that’s what we’re doing.”

Yep, more ReTHUGlican death panels in so many cruel, devastating ways.

:grr:

[jwirr]

1. Housing money usually comes from HUD - with strings attached. How

did they manage to ignore that?