Florida House Panel OKs Private Companies Managing People on Medicaid

TALLAHASSEE - A House panel voted overwhelmingly on Monday to let private companies manage the care of nearly all of Florida's 2.7 million Medicaid beneficiaries.
Some groups warn, however, that a one-size-fits-all approach could harm people with special needs.
The expedited bill cleared its only House committee stop on a vote of 16-1 and hits the chamber floor next.
The plan's architects, Republican Reps. Denise Grimsley and Dean Cannon, say they want to eliminate the "patchwork" system of carve-outs and exemptions that make up Florida Medicaid -- a $19-billion program expected to grow to $28 billion by 2014-2015