Feds and Florida working on Medicaid waiver agreement

After trying for two years, Gov. Rick Scott achieved a victory in February 2013: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) granted Florida its request for a waiver for Medicaid. The medical assistance waiver applies to the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Program that serves more than 3 million Floridians. Weeks earlier, HHS had granted a separate smaller waiver request for people who are disabled and seniors.

Scott celebrated that he was "two-for-two in our request for Medicaid flexibilities. This helps Florida taxpayers by lowering costs and Florida families by improving healthcare services.” The much larger Medicaid story occurred the same day: Scott announced he would accept a massive federal Medicaid expansion -- after he had fought ObamaCare for years.

The Feb. 20 letter from HHS director Cindy Mann stated that the two parties had "reached agreement in principle” and would work toward a final agreement.

A spokeswoman for the Florida Agency of Health Care Administration said on March 26 that the state remained in communication with CMS, and that officials are discussing conditions to finalize program details.

Scott campaigned in 2010 that one way to shrink the state budget was to expand privatization of Medicaid, which provides health care to the poor. He said that if the federal government signed off on it, he could cut $1.8 billion.

We asked a spokesman when Scott expects to achieve those savings and did not get an immediate reply. Scott's 2013-14 budget estimates Medicaid expenditures at $22.5 billion.

Scott's promise has been in limbo for more than two years. This month he made considerable  progress when HHS said it had reached an agreement in principle to give Florida a waiver for Medicaid. We will monitor whether the federal government finalizes the arrangement and if the savings occur. The promise remains In the Works.