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Florida Dental
Association
Dentists Day on the Hill
April 1-2, 2008
Tallahassee, FL FAPD is active politically, as well as
professionally, realizing that government can be both our partner and our
obstacle. We therefore maintain an active presence in Tallahassee letting
our voice be heard both through our dentists who frequently give of their
time to participate in the process, as well as through the assistance of
former Senator John Grant, who is our legislative advocate in the capitol.
We ask that any of our members who feel inclined to be involved in the
public process volunteer by contacting us and we will find opportunities for
service. We also encourage all of our members to participate in Dentists Day
on the Hill, where we will have special events for pediatric dentists.
Our advocate, John Grant, is the founder of The Florida Capitol Advocate
Group and for those who want links to both state and federal government,
they may use the web links found at
www.FloridaCapitolAdvocate.com.
During the legislative session, our advocate sends our officers and
directors by e-mail, various updates on legislative issues and events of
interest to our members. Any FAPD member in good standing may also receive
those updates by e-mailing our advocate and asking to be added to the
circulation list. The e-mail address is
jgrant@floridacapitoladvocate.com.
Updates from John Grant, Legislative Advocate for FAPD
January 12, 2008
Lawsuit challenges
Florida's 2006 Medicaid changes
Recipients denied
rights, lawyer says
By Bob LaMendola
South Florida
Sun-Sentinel January 12, 2008
Three Medicaid
recipients from Broward County filed a federal class-action lawsuit Friday
alleging that the state is improperly trapping people in unsuitable
medical coverage, in the latest slap against Florida's Medicaid reform
experiment.
The reform has forced
about 200,000 low-income recipients into HMO-style plans in an attempt to
save money and improve care, but federal law allows recipients to change
plans at will within the first 90 days and after that if they have "good
cause," the lawsuit said.
Materials sent to
recipients do not fully explain their rights to change plans, the lawsuit
said, and state-hired counselors wrongly have told recipients they are
locked in for a full year. As a result, patients needlessly remained in
plans that did not cover their doctors or medications, the recipients'
attorneys said.
"The Medicaid reform program has been imposed on poor and disabled people,
and they are not getting the medical care and rights the law promises
them," said C. Shawn Boehringer, an attorney at Legal Aid Service of
Broward County.
A spokesman for the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, which
runs the state Medicaid program, declined to comment on the suit other
than to say the agency is reviewing it.
Florida's nationally watched Medicaid reform began in fall 2006 in Broward
and the Jacksonville area, to see whether it saves money for the $16.6
billion program that serves 2.3 million Floridians, most of them children.
In recent months, a state internal audit and a Georgetown University
analysis found problems: Recipients exhausted drug coverage, could not
figure out whether their drugs or doctors were covered, and could not
easily file complaints. The agency has temporarily halted expansion of the
reform while more study is done.
For more information on the issue, contact Legal Aid at 954-765-8950.
Bob LaMendola can be reached at blamendola@sun-sentinel.com or
954-356-4526 or 561-243-6600, ext. 4526.
John Grant
January 11,
2008
1.
Yesterday, I spoke in Atlanta to the Southeastern Society of Pediatric
Dentistry. I was one of two principal speakers presenting an all day
Legislative Advocacy Program. The other speaker was Dr. Jim Crall. It was
well received and we got good feedback from those in attendance, including
representatives of AAPD staff, who have asked me to do some repeats at
other locations around the country. It was an opportunity to show how
Florida is the"poster child" of PEDO legislative advocacy. Many around the
country really respect what Florida is doing in this arena. Dr. Schneider
represented us at the forum and had some good words to say on your behalf.
Drs. Jim and Leigh Ann McIlwain were also present for the concluding part
of the program.
2.
Today, along with Dr. Rogers, I represented you at the Specialty Forum in
Tampa. I gave an update on our litigation. FDA President, Dr. Nolan Allen
was present and expressed his strong support and appreciation for what we
are doing. He and I talked afterwards and had a good conversation. I also
met with Dr. David Stilwell, President of The Florida Academy of General
Dentistry, who advised me that their academy had approved a dues increase
to help fund our litigation.
3. Be
sure to put Dentist's Day on the Hill on your calendar .... April 1-2
...... and plan to attend. Last year we had a larger percentage of out
membership present than did FDA and we would like to continue that trend.
Also calendar the FDA Congress and our annual meeting June 11-14.
4. Any
of you who are renewing your license on line should be aware that in
addition to the regular renewal fee, there is an additional charge of $250
to make up for the deficit in the Board of Dentistry's budget. Apparently,
the web renewal site is not clear on that and more that 500 dentists had
renewed their license without paying this extra amount and if it is not
paid by the end of February, you are subject to a $1,000 fine. Beware and
be careful.
5.
There was discussion at the Specialty Forum about HIPAA and the open bay
office set-up. This can potentially effect a lot of pediatric dentists and
if you have any questions, contact. Dr. Ken Rogers for details.
6.
Today, out litigation is being mediated in Miami and as soon as I have
information on the outcome, I will be back to you with details.
All
for now,
John
John
Grant
Legislative
Advocate
Florida Academy of Pediatric Dentists
November 28,
2008
As you may
remember, the State of Florida filed a Motion to Dismiss our Medicaid
litigation and the motion was denied by the court. The state then filed
a Motion to Reconsider (In layman's terms a motion asking the court to
realize they did a dumb thing in the first place). Well today, the court
entered an order Denying the Motion to Reconsider and not only that, if
you will read the attached Order, you will see that the court called
their hand by stating in the order: "There is no reason to further delay
this case." The state will now have to begin filing responsive pleadings
answering the allegations. This is bound to now get some serious
attention by the executive branch. When they begin to see the light,
they will feel the heat.
In addition to all
of that, the court entered another order (attached) requiring mediation
and setting the matter for trial in June of 2008!
John Grant
Florida
Capitol Advocate Group
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