Town Hall Meeting Near Tampa Highlights Concerns about Medicaid Reform Expansion

August 1, 2007

Over a hundred people attended a town hall meeting in Ybor City, near Tampa, to discuss the effects of Medicaid reform on consumers and providers in the pilot counties of Broward and Duval. The program included a presentation by Dr. Jack Hoadley, senior researcher of the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, on how reform has changed access to prescription medicines for Medicaid beneficiaries (see related story for complete information on the Georgetown report).

Other speakers at the event included Sarah Sullivan, of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid; Lynne Granger Boyden, of Eastside Speech Therapy; and Andrew Leone, of Florida CHAIN. Each discussed issues related to reform including how it has affected consumers and small providers, and the advocacy efforts taking place in the pilot counties to forego the expansion of the program unless and until negative issues affecting consumers and providers are resolved.

Among the attendees were consumers, providers, University of Florida and Office of Program Policy and Government Analysis (OPPAGA) representatives, and State Representatives Ed Homan and Betty Reed. Dr. Homan, an orthopedic surgeon, exhorted those present to become activists against the expansion of Medicaid Reform by writing letters to the media and their representatives and demanding meetings at legislators’ district offices. Medicaid Reform can expand beyond the pilot counties only if the Legislature allows it by a vote expected next year.

The event was co-sponsored by the Tampa Bay Healthcare Collaborative and Florida CHAIN and was organized by Enid Gildar, a Speech Language Pathologist in private practice in Hillsborough County.

(Submitted by Andrew Leone, Florida CHAIN)

We are interested in hearing from Medicaid Recipients in Broward County and Duval County. Please contact us by email at medicaidreform@pobox.com.

www.floridamedicaidreform.org