Florida Lawmakers Agree on Budget Plan that Would Cut $147M from Health and Human Services Programs

Florida legislative leaders on Dec. 2 agreed on a budget plan that would cut $147 million in health and human services spending, the Tallahassee Democrat reports (Twiddy Tallahassee Democrat, 12/3). Faced with a $1 billion state budget shortfall, lawmakers met in a 10-day special session that began Nov. 27 to reconcile the differences in budgets passed by the state House and Senate (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 11/27). Of the $1 billion total cut from the state budget, cuts "absorb[ed]" by social service programs were "modest" and aimed at "trimming administration." For example, 300 vacancies at state health programs would not be filled. However, some spending for services would be reduced, including a proposed $22.5 million cut for a drug assistance program for low-income seniors. The program was scheduled to be expanded, but the cuts have "halt[ed]" those plans. Under the deal, the state's "much vaunted youth anti-smoking program" also would lose about 20% of its funding or $7.4 million (Kennedy, Orlando Sentinel, 12/3). The deal would spare other health services, such as eyeglasses and hearing aids for adult Medicaid beneficiaries, until next June, the end of the fiscal year (Bousquet/Ulferts, St. Petersburg Times, 12/1). As part of the deal made this weekend, lawmakers agreed to transfer $9 million of a $39 million appropriation originally allocated to close a state-owned mental health facility. The $9 million would be used to expand the state's Assertive Community Treatment teams, which oversee psychotropic drug use in former mental health patients. State lawmakers are expected to vote on the budget Dec. 6 (Tallahasse Democrat, 12/3).