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250,000 Floridians Get Kicked Off Medicaid as DeSantis Rakes in Big Donor Cash

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  jbb  •  10 months ago  •  57 comments

By:   Common Dreams

250,000 Floridians Get Kicked Off Medicaid as DeSantis Rakes in Big Donor Cash
"One of these individuals is a seven-year-old boy in remission from Leukemia who is now unable to access follow-up—and potentially lifesaving—treatments," said local advocacy groups.

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T


Hundreds of thousands of poor Floridians have been kicked off Medicaid in recent weeks as their Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, travels the country for his 2024 presidential bid and rakes in campaign cash from big donors.

Florida is among the states that have begun unwinding pandemic-era rules barring states from removing people from Medicaid during the public health emergency. Late last year, Congress reached a bipartisan deal to end the so-called continuous coverage requirements, opening the door to a massive purge of the lifesaving healthcare program.

A dozen states have released early data on the number of people removed from Medicaid as they restart eligibility checks, a cumbersome process that many people fail to navigate.

So far, the statistics are alarming: More than 600,000 people across the U.S. have been stripped of Medicaid coverage since April, according to a KFF Health Newsanalysis of the available data, and "the vast majority were removed from state rolls for not completing paperwork" rather than confirmed ineligibility.

Nearly 250,000 people who have been booted from Medicaid live in Florida, whose governor is a longtime opponent of public healthcare programs. As HuffPost's Jonathan Cohn wrote Sunday, DeSantis "has refused to support the ACA's Medicaid expansion for the state, which is the biggest reason that more than 12% of Floridians don't have health insurance."

"That's the fourth-highest rate in the country," Cohn noted.

But DeSantis, who has said he wants to "make America Florida," appears unmoved by the staggering number of people losing Medicaid in his state as he hits the campaign trail. The governor relied heavily on large contributors to bring in more than $8 million during the first 24 hours of his presidential bid.

Prior to formally launching his 2024 campaign, DeSantis traveled the country in private jets on the dime of rich and sometimes secret donors, and he is currently facing a Federal Election Commission complaint for unlawfully transferring more than $80 million from a state committee to a super PAC supporting his White House bid.

"Families with children have been erroneously terminated, and parents are having trouble reaching the DCF call center for help with this process."

Late last month, DeSantis' administration insisted it "has a robust outreach campaign" aimed at ensuring people are aware of the hoops they have to jump through to keep their Medicaid coverage, such as income verification.

In Florida, a four-person household must make less than $39,900 in annual income to qualify for Medicaid.

The state's early data indicates that 44% of those who have lost coverage in recent weeks were removed for procedural reasons, like a failure to return paperwork on time.

The figures have drawn outrage from local advocates, who urged DeSantis late last month to pause the Medicaid redetermination process after hearing reports of people losing coverage without receiving any notice from Florida's chronically understaffed Department of Children and Families (DCF).

"One of these individuals is a seven-year-old boy in remission from Leukemia who is now unable to access follow-up—and potentially lifesaving—treatments," a coalition of groups including the Florida Policy Institute and the Florida Health Justice Project wrote to DeSantis. "Families with children have been erroneously terminated, and parents are having trouble reaching the DCF call center for help with this process. Additionally, unclear notices and lack of information on how to appeal contribute to more confusion."

Citing Miriam Harmatz, advocacy director and founder of the Florida Health Justice Project, KFF Health Newsreported last week that "some cancellation notices in Florida are vague and could violate due process rules."

"Letters that she's seen say 'your Medicaid for this period is ending' rather than providing a specific reason for disenrollment, like having too high an income or incomplete paperwork," the outlet noted. "If a person requests a hearing before their cancellation takes effect, they can stay covered during the appeals process. Even after being disenrolled, many still have a 90-day window to restore coverage."

The Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that around 15.5 million people—including 5 million children—are likely to lose Medicaid coverage nationwide over the next year and a half as states resume eligibility checks made necessary by a system that doesn't guarantee healthcare to all as a right.

"Many people don't realize that they've been disenrolled from Medicaid until they show up at the pharmacy to get their prescription refilled or they have a doctor's appointment scheduled," Jennifer Tolbert, director of state health reform at the Kaiser Family Foundation, toldThe Washington Post last week.


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JBB
Professor Principal
1  seeder  JBB    10 months ago

original

 
 
 
Tessylo
Professor Principal
1.1  Tessylo  replied to  JBB @1    10 months ago

Dick Santis - what an evil scumbag

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
1.1.1  Right Down the Center  replied to  Tessylo @1.1    10 months ago
Dick Santis - what an evil scumbag

Wow, you seem to feel strongly about this.  So please tell me EXACTLY what DeSantis did to make 250,000 people lose medicade.  And please make sure you include what he did to make 205,000 of them that be disqualified because they failed to respond to requests for information needed to renew their eligibility.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
1.2  devangelical  replied to  JBB @1    10 months ago

another example of conservative xtianity...

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
1.2.1  Texan1211  replied to  devangelical @1.2    10 months ago
another example of conservative xtianity...

Or, in reality, a great number of people who did not comply with the program's requirements.

 
 
 
Drinker of the Wry
Junior Expert
1.2.2  Drinker of the Wry  replied to  devangelical @1.2    10 months ago

Another exampled of government dependency.

 
 
 
Ozzwald
Professor Quiet
1.2.3  Ozzwald  replied to  devangelical @1.2    10 months ago
another example of conservative xtianity...

I can never understand it, republicans are constantly saying one thing and doing something else.  Despite the fact that they keep enacting laws and policies that are against their voter bases, those voters keep voting for them.

inconceivable.jpg

 
 
 
Just Jim NC TttH
Professor Principal
1.2.4  Just Jim NC TttH  replied to  Ozzwald @1.2.3    10 months ago

See comment 6 below. Has jack shit to do with republicans or anyone else. But we know how liberals like to not recognize people's problems being of their own doing and lack of personal responsibility................

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
1.2.5  Texan1211  replied to  Ozzwald @1.2.3    10 months ago
Despite the fact that they keep enacting laws and policies that are against their voter bases, those voters keep voting for them.

What makes you think you know better than people you don't know what their priorities are?

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
1.2.6  Snuffy  replied to  Just Jim NC TttH @1.2.4    10 months ago

The law that set this up was The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) enacted in December 2022.  

.

Now just to remind those who can't do the research themselves,  in December of 2022 the House was controlled by Democrats, the Senate was controlled by Democrats and the White House was controlled by Democrats.  And this bill passed with bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate.

But hey,  you found something else to post to bitch about DeSantis ignoring that this law was passed by the federal government and all states will be reviewing their Medicaid roles to remove those who no longer qualify to be on Medicaid.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
1.2.7  Texan1211  replied to  Snuffy @1.2.6    10 months ago
But hey,  you found something else to post to bitch about DeSantis ignoring that this law was passed by the federal government and all states will be reviewing their Medicaid roles to remove those who no longer qualify to be on Medicaid.

Pretty much guaranteed that we'll see more of the same if Medicaid rolls drop in any red states. And they will gripe about that and then try to link DeSantis to it.

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
1.2.8  Right Down the Center  replied to  Ozzwald @1.2.3    10 months ago
Despite the fact that they keep enacting laws and policies that are against their voter bases

So what law or policy did the republicans pass that caused 80% of  the people dropped to either not fill out the application correctly or not answer the request for more information?

 
 
 
Greg Jones
Professor Participates
1.3  Greg Jones  replied to  JBB @1    10 months ago

Misleading title...neither one has anything to do with the other.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
1.3.1  Texan1211  replied to  Greg Jones @1.3    10 months ago
Misleading title...neither one has anything to do with the other.

yeah, but the author knows lemmings will not put two and two together but will be willing to believe the two are linked in some dumbass conspiracy theory.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
2  Texan1211    10 months ago

Looks like folks needed to fill out the proper paperwork.

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
3  George    10 months ago
 Late last year, Congress reached a bipartisan deal to end the so-called continuous coverage requirements, opening the door to a massive purge of the lifesaving healthcare program.

The party of no personal responsibility once again trying to blame a republican for their actions. Who controlled the House late last year? who controlled the Senate? wasn't Joe Alzheimer president then?  

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
3.1  Snuffy  replied to  George @3    10 months ago

Yeah,  with the end of the health emergency for Covid this was the expected outcome.  And all states will be reviewing and unwinding their Medicaid roles, it's estimated that somewhere between 5 million and 14 million people will lose their eligibility across the country.

But this is a good chance for the partisans to try to pin another target on DeSantis.  

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
3.1.1  George  replied to  Snuffy @3.1    10 months ago

The wailing for the rich to pay for the student loans for the irresponsible will be starting soon, we may need to wear ear plugs for a while.

 
 
 
evilone
Professor Guide
3.1.2  evilone  replied to  George @3.1.1    10 months ago
The wailing for the rich to pay for the student loans for the irresponsible will be starting soon...

Yeah.. if the rich pay off student loans they won't be able to buy off Republican politicians? Ohhhh the horrors!!! 

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
3.1.3  George  replied to  evilone @3.1.2    10 months ago

Dumbest comment so far today.

 
 
 
Jack_TX
Professor Quiet
3.1.5  Jack_TX  replied to  George @3.1.3    10 months ago
Dumbest comment so far today.

That's a really, really, really high bar.

I'm not sure it's even the dumbest comment on this seed.

 
 
 
devangelical
Professor Principal
3.1.6  devangelical  replied to  evilone @3.1.2    10 months ago

LOL

 
 
 
Sean Treacy
Professor Principal
4  Sean Treacy    10 months ago

So either people can't do paperwork or the economy in Florida has lifted people out of poverty so they no longer qualify.  

If only DeSantis kept people poor enough to qualify for Medicaid like a good progressive would. 

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
4.1  Texan1211  replied to  Sean Treacy @4    10 months ago

Hey, maybe the Mouse could pay for those who lost coverage!

 
 
 
SteevieGee
Professor Silent
4.1.1  SteevieGee  replied to  Texan1211 @4.1    10 months ago
Hey, maybe the Mouse could pay for those who lost coverage!

What a great idea Tex.  Tax the corporations.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
4.2  Kavika   replied to  Sean Treacy @4    10 months ago
So either people can't do paperwork or the economy in Florida has lifted people out of poverty so they no longer qualify.   If only DeSantis kept people poor enough to qualify for Medicaid like a good progressive would. 

 Florida is ranked 4th in terms of uninsured and Texas rates as number one. This is as of 2021 the latest report, 2023 shows Florida at 15.2%

https://www.statista.com/statistics/986620/health-uninsured-population-share-by-us-state/#:~:text=Texas%20was%20the%20state%20with,insurance%20in%202021%2C%20by%20state.

The number will change after the latest purge.

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
4.2.1  George  replied to  Kavika @4.2    10 months ago

How can that be? Barry said everyone would have coverage. did he lie?  Let me guess, it is the republicans fault that irresponsible people don't buy health insurance? 

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
4.2.2  Kavika   replied to  George @4.2.1    10 months ago
How can that be? Barry said everyone would have coverage. did he lie?  Let me guess, it is the republicans fault that irresponsible people don't buy health insurance? 

 Don't guess since you really have little idea of situation. It is the Republicans decision in Florida that they (Republicans) didn't take advantage of this. 

Florida is among just 10 states to not take advantage of an Affordable Care Act provision that provides additional money to expand Medicaid eligibility. Doing so would would make an estimated 900,000 Floridians eligible, or more than 4% of the state’s population. That includes more than 400,000 who earn below the federal poverty level, according to the  Florida Policy Institute , a Tallahassee nonprofit.

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
4.2.3  George  replied to  Kavika @4.2.2    10 months ago

Was the ACA federal law? Did it require everyone to have health insurance? It’s a simple question. The worthless irresponsible takers have to follow the law even if it isn’t free.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
4.2.4  Kavika   replied to  George @4.2.3    10 months ago
Was the ACA federal law? Did it require everyone to have health insurance? It’s a simple question. The worthless irresponsible takers have to follow the law even if it isn’t free.

In case you forgot, never knew or are just deflecting we are discussing Florida and the uninsured here in the state. 

The ''worthless irresponsible takers'' I suspect that you have proof that they are as you stated, or is it just more of the smoke you blow and pretend that it is fact. 

Regarding the federal law and the ACA:

As of 2023, there is currently no federal fine for not enrolling in health insurance. The federal government eliminated the fine in 2019.

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
4.2.5  George  replied to  Kavika @4.2.4    10 months ago

it is still federal law that you have health insurance, not the state law, federal law! Irresponsible worthless takers must be plentiful in Florida.

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
4.2.6  Kavika   replied to  George @4.2.5    10 months ago
Irresponsible worthless takers must be plentiful in Florida.

We are a deep red state, so yes a lot of RW irresponsible worthless takers here in the Sunshine State. It's encouraging that you recognize that.

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
4.2.7  George  replied to  Kavika @4.2.6    10 months ago

Another ignorant post, Florida could be described as purple but never deep red. California on the other hand is deep blue and has 1/3 of all welfare recipients so we all know who the majority of worthless takers are in any state. Guess where the highest welfare and uninsured are on this map? 

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
4.2.8  Kavika   replied to  George @4.2.7    10 months ago
Another ignorant post, Florida could be described as purple but never deep red. California on the other hand is deep blue and has 1/3 of all welfare recipients so we all know who the majority of worthless takers are in any state. Guess where the highest welfare and uninsured are on this

Another reminder that we are discussing Florida, not California. And yes, Florida is a deep red state. It is no longer purple or didn't you see the last election? The one that was for the governorship of Florida in 2022.

Guess where the highest welfare and uninsured are on this map? 

The ten states that have the highest number of SNAP recipients are: California (3,789,000), Texas (3,406,000), Florida (2,847,000), New York (2,661,000), 

Red and Blue states are pretty much equal.
 
 
 
Veronica
Professor Guide
4.2.9  Veronica  replied to  George @4.2.7    10 months ago

How about you be honest - lets do it per capita

The states with the highest SNAP participation rates as of November 2022 are:
  1. New Mexico (24.3%)
  2. Louisiana (19.5%)
  3. West Virginia (18.2%)
  4. Oklahoma (17.2%) 
  5. Oregon (17.0%)
  6. Illinois (16.2%)
  7. Alabama (15.4%)
  8. Massachusetts (15.2%)
  9. Nevada (15.0%)
  10. North Carolina (15.0%)

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
4.2.10  George  replied to  Veronica @4.2.9    10 months ago

Lets, move the gold posts because the results don't fit my ideology, the fact is 1/3 of all Welfare recipients live in KKKalifornia with only 1/6 the population. Worthless taketrs.

 
 
 
Veronica
Professor Guide
4.2.11  Veronica  replied to  George @4.2.10    10 months ago

Ok, so you do not want to present HONEST facts.  Gotcha.

 
 
 
Bob Nelson
Professor Guide
4.2.12  Bob Nelson  replied to  George @4.2.10    10 months ago

goal posts 

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
4.2.13  George  replied to  Veronica @4.2.11    10 months ago

Those facts were honest, why limit it to Snap? 

 
 
 
George
Sophomore Expert
4.2.14  George  replied to  Bob Nelson @4.2.12    10 months ago

Their, there, they’re! You are going to be okay.

 
 
 
Bob Nelson
Professor Guide
4.2.15  Bob Nelson  replied to  George @4.2.14    10 months ago

Sloppy posting shows a lack of respect for the reader. From your reaction, I guess you're pleased to publicize that lack.

 
 
 
Jack_TX
Professor Quiet
5  Jack_TX    10 months ago
KFF Health News analysis of the available data, and "the vast majority were removed from state rolls for not completing paperwork"

Soooo.... yet another bullshit headline from yet another batshit blog.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
5.1  Texan1211  replied to  Jack_TX @5    10 months ago
Soooo.... yet another bullshit headline from yet another batshit blog.

I wonder why so many couldn't fill out forms correctly and in a timely manner?

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
5.1.1  Right Down the Center  replied to  Texan1211 @5.1    10 months ago
I wonder why so many couldn't fill out forms correctly and in a timely manner?

Where I live there are people that charge 5000 dollars to help you with appluing for  title 19 medicade for the elderly.  We are just starting to look into it for my father.  The spend down rules and application rules are having us seriously considering spending the money for someone to help.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
5.1.2  Texan1211  replied to  Right Down the Center @5.1.1    10 months ago

I'm lucky I never had to go through any of that with my dad.

He was retired Navy/Dept. of Labor and had Tricare for life.

I think the most I ever saw my dad pay for any prescription was about $15 and don't recall him ever having to pay a copay for any office visits or hospital stays.

Good luck!

 
 
 
Jack_TX
Professor Quiet
5.1.3  Jack_TX  replied to  Texan1211 @5.1    10 months ago
I wonder why so many couldn't fill out forms correctly and in a timely manner?

Because they really are complicated as fuck, and let's face it... if these people were really good at paperwork they probably wouldn't be on Medicaid in the first place.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
5.1.4  Texan1211  replied to  Jack_TX @5.1.3    10 months ago
Because they really are complicated as fuck, and let's face it... if these people were really good at paperwork they probably wouldn't be on Medicaid in the first place.

That is reasonable, but I look at it that they had already filled out such forms and should have been able to duplicate the feat no matter how hard it seems.

 
 
 
Snuffy
Professor Participates
5.1.5  Snuffy  replied to  Jack_TX @5.1.3    10 months ago

RDtC is talking about something different than standard Medicaid.  He's talking about Title 19 Medicaid which is to determine eligibility for the elderly for long-term care.  That is a different kettle of fish to be sure.  Different states handle this differently and it has changed over the years due to the numbers of elderly who are living longer and longer and have a greater need for long-term care.  

Right Down the Center -  I wish you luck on this.  Please do the background research to insure that whoever you hire to help you with this is honest and upright, there are too many crooks in that field. And be careful in trying to hide assets as most of them have timelines around transfer which make it difficult to successfully hide.  And I hope your father has a very comfortable remainder of his life.

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
5.1.6  Right Down the Center  replied to  Texan1211 @5.1.2    10 months ago

Thanks

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
5.1.7  Right Down the Center  replied to  Snuffy @5.1.5    10 months ago

They look back 5 years where I am and are fairly strict, especially once title 19 becomes a distinct possibility. Thanks for the kind words.

 
 
 
JumpDrive
Freshman Silent
5.1.8  JumpDrive  replied to  Texan1211 @5.1    10 months ago
I wonder why so many couldn't fill out forms correctly and in a timely manner?

We're talking about medical care here, if 80% did not respond, it's likely that the request for info is the problem. Almost half of Medicaid recipients don't have a high school education. Here's a sample Florida Medicaid application form, what's the likelihood they could fill this out:

 
 
 
Right Down the Center
Junior Guide
6  Right Down the Center    10 months ago

According to The Tampa Bay Times "About 80% of those terminated — roughly 205,000 — were disqualified because they failed to respond to requests for information needed to renew their eligibility, the state report shows. About 44,300 recipients were referred to other programs because they earn too much to be eligible."

That won't stop some from yelling but but but DeSantis.

That being said applying for Medicade is ridiculously cumbersome and almost impossible to navigate, even compared to Medicare, especially for the elderly.  It is just another case of the government making things as difficult as possible for everyone.  What the whole system needs is for someone to look into the root cause of the issue and make it much more difficult for people to fall through the bureaucratic cracks.  Maybe Kamel breath is available.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
7  JohnRussell    10 months ago

Medicaid should not be left up to the governors of red states. It should be a federal program. 

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
7.1  JohnRussell  replied to  JohnRussell @7    10 months ago
n the United States, Medicaid is a government program that provides health insurance for 85 million individuals (adults and children) with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by state governments, which also have wide latitude in determining eligibility and benefits, but the federal government sets baseline standards for state Medicaid programs and provides a significant portion of their funding.
 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
7.2  Texan1211  replied to  JohnRussell @7    10 months ago
Medicaid should not be left up to the governors of red states. It should be a federal program.

Governors of red states being the sole disqualifier for you?

So will it change from time to time as Democratic governors are elected?

Medicaid is a federal program, administered by the states. I believe it reasonable that states which help pay for Medicaid to have a say in how that is administered.

 
 
 
Jack_TX
Professor Quiet
7.3  Jack_TX  replied to  JohnRussell @7    10 months ago
Medicaid should not be left up to the governors of red states. It should be a federal program. 

It should be abolished/absorbed/replaced and the participants covered under the Affordable Care Act.

The Democrats had the chance to do that, BTW.

 
 

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