Dive Brief:
- If state and federal officials are unable to reach an agreement on federal funding of the low-income funding pool (LIP), Lee Memorial Health System in Florida estimates it will lose $48 million per year.
- Last week, negotiations were put on hold, a move which CEO Jim Nathan said could be a serious blow to a variety of the health system's services.
- According to Nathan, the services, which are vital to the community, do not make enough money to pay for themselves; he said failure to reach an agreement for federal funding is not an option.
Dive Insight:
Although the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration—which oversees the state's Medicaid program—said the negotiations had stalled, the Florida Times-Union reported that the federal negotiator is simply on vacation. No matter which version is accurate, Florida's refusal to expand its Medicaid program has caused tension between state and federal officials. Weiss told The News-Press he is optimistic that the two sides can reach an agreement. "I'm hopeful they can work it out," he said. "These are well-meaning people who are smart and want to do the right thing for the people of Florida."