Because of the dissention, this may be something folks need to take a look at and weigh in with the Governor, the mayor or both. Certainly, this is a goodly amount of money, and like many other things right now, we can't afford it!

3/16/2012

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is urging Gov. Rick Scott to veto a bill that he says would cost the city millions in higher Medicaid payments.

In a letter Brown sent to Scott on Thursday, the mayor said the state should audit its billing system before looking to the counties for more funding. He also offered the services of his staff, several of which have worked with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida.

At the heart of the issue is an argument over how much the counties owe the state for Medicaid care provided to their residents. The counties dispute some bills because they say the recipients of the care live elsewhere. The state says the counties are delinquent on their payments.

Under a bill passed by the Legislature, Duval County could end up paying $8.5 million a year for the next three years, on top of the $9.6 million it now pays, Brown said.

Timothy J. Gibbons

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-03-16/story/politijax-may...