The Florida House and Senate are locked into a $4 billion battle over health care funding. <\/p>\n
It will be resolved, although it is looking ever more likely that it will push the 2015 Legislature beyond its May 1 deadline into an extended or special session. <\/p>\n
But the real significance of this policy fight is that House leaders are signaling that they are prepared for a long-term engagement over changing many aspects of Floridas health care system. One leader called it a war. A more fitting name may be a revolution given the scope of what House leaders want to achieve. <\/p>\n
House Appropriations Chairman Richard Corcoran, R-Land OLakes, said the problem with Floridas health care system is the status quo and all the people who profit from the system. <\/p>\n
Come to war with us. Ill fight. And if it costs me my political career, or yours, so be it, Corcoran told House members. <\/p>\n
Those are significant comments coming from the House budget chairman who will be the next House speaker following the 2016 elections. <\/p>\n
That was followed up this week at the end of what is likely to be the last meeting of the House Health and Human Services Committee. Rep. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, re-emphasized the Houses commitment to bringing more competition and free-market ideas into the health care system. <\/p>\n
We know that there is a health care problem in Florida. And we know every time government tries to solve something, we typically (are) a little worse off than had we let some other things happen, Brodeur said. <\/p>\n
Brodeur outlined an ambitious set of proposals for the 2016 session, including advancing a plan to curb the number and cost of medical malpractice lawsuits. <\/p>\n
Brodeurs comments were bolstered by the appearance of Rep. Jose Oliva, R-Miami Lakes, who will be the House speaker following Corcoran. He emphasized his commitment to changing the health care system. <\/p>\n
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Fighting words in Legislature's health care battle<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Florida House and Senate are locked into a $4 billion battle over health care funding. It will be resolved, although it is looking ever more likely that it will push the 2015 Legislature beyond its May 1 deadline into an extended or special session. But the real significance of this policy fight is that House leaders are signaling that they are prepared for a long-term engagement over changing many aspects of Floridas health care system. Continue reading