Florida to Address Medicare Payment Disparities
After taking a long look at the way payments to Medicare in many Florida counties are paid, there seem to be a number of inequities. Payments in Miami-Dade counties are 38% higher than in a number of counties and 50% higher than in 24 other counties. In addition, the other counties receive fewer benefits than plans in Miami-Dade.
Somehow this has a lot to do with the way that the counties are districted. To help adjust the situation, next year Miami-Dade will receive a 13% payment increase, while other counties only receive 3% to 4% increases. This will be the beginning of trying to make the Medicare situation more equitable throughout the state.
Florida is not the only state that struggles with some of these issues, however, they are, at present, addressing the issues and tackling them to make the financial ramifications of premiums and payments much more fair and equitable.
Representative Robert D. Wexler, a Democrat, is expected to legislation next week that will change the way that Medicare calculates payments to private health plans in various counties. To this point, has mandated that payments are calculated on a county basis. Miami-Dade has been billed more on a per person basis, leading to the difference in the rates for Miami-Dade, vs. the other counties in question.
Wexler’s proposal would require HHS to close the payment gap until Palm Beach County’s rates are within 3% of Miami-Dade’s by 2012. The bill would lower the Miami-Dade payments and use that money to raise payments in Palm Beach County.
Some of this may sound complicated, but the main issue – especially for the people of Florida – is that there will be a fair and equal distribution of benefits for everyone. This is actually important and trendsetting, because Los Angeles may be the next place they look.
