Governor’s proposal is aimed at health care

Scott wants price list for procedures

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott ramped up his war with the health care industry this week when he declared he wants Floridians to be able to see the price of liposuction like they would a latte.

The governor pointed to his experience in founding Solantic, an urgent care company, when he unveiled a proposal to require hospitals to post the average cost for procedures and services in an easily visible spot on their websites.

“I put all the prices up on the menu board, just like Starbucks or anything else,” Scott said of his Solantic clinics.

Scott said the plan, which he’ll present to the Legislature in January, was aimed

at protecting patients from “price gouging.” He also called for hospitals to post their IRS tax filings online and allow third parties to review patient bills.

It’s the latest front in Florida’s health care battle that has embroiled Scott and both chambers of the Legislature.

In February, Scott changed his position and came out against Medicaid expansion, something the state’s main hospital lobby, the Florida Hospital Association, pushed heavily. The issue ended up blowing up the legislative session and delaying the state budget as Republicans in the House refused to go along with Republican Senate leaders’ plans to expand eligibility.

Upset at the impasse, Scott setup a commission in May to look into hospital finances, with members appointed by him. Scott’s price transparency announcement came before a meeting of the commissionin Tampa this week. FHA President Bruce Reuben took issue with the harsh tone of Scott’s proposal, which came in a news release.

“The press release failed to consider the policy recommendations presented at [Monday’s] meeting, including a comprehensive approach to help consumers understand the cost of health care,” Reuben stated.

Reuben said in an interview that hospitals are already required to submit price data to state agencies and the FHA was already working on legislation to increase price transparency.

For their part, some Democrats have responded positively to Scott’s goals, while still bemoaning his reversal on Medicaid expansion.

“I think the governor is looking for a convenient way to pivot from the larger issue out there, which is expansion,” said House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford, of West Palm Beach. “The governor needs to learn to walk and chew gum at the same time.”

Scott also will be looking to avoid comparisons between his push to protect patients and taxpayers from “price gouging” to his history as the CEO of Columbia/ a hospital chain slapped with a $1.7 billion fine over fraudulent Medicare billing that occurred on his watch. He didn’t answer a question from a reporter thisweek about his credibility on the issue given his past.

But it’s not Reuben or Democrats who Scott needs to persuade to push his agenda. Scott must find a way to soothe ruptured relations with the Senate.

Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, said he’s open to all of the commission’s recommendations, including Scott’s cost transparency ideas, but he’d like to see them go further.

“Let’s also add hospice to that, Planned Parenthood,” Gardiner said. “What’s good for one industry receiving taxpayer funds should be good for another.”

He’s also waiting for the commission to address Florida’s remaining uninsured population. Scott rejected the Senate’s plan to use nearly $50billion in federal Medicaid funds to offer coverage to 800,000 Floridians who earn too much to qualify for the program. Scott’s commission has rarely discussed the issue.

“My hope would be if you’re going to talk about access and you’re going to talk about costs, then you should talk about the uninsured,” Gardiner said.

Scott’s commission has discussed and been more receptive to the House’s proposals of deregulating the health care industry, such as eliminating the certificate of need process to establish a new hospital.

Although Gardiner seems eager to temper the feud over health care, the reaction to Scott’s proposals suggests the philosophical divide hasn’t yet diminished.

All sides, however, say they want the same outcome: lower costs and better care.

“This is all about patients, this is all about empowering patients,” Scott said.