Gov. Rick Scott recently announced that $1.5 billion also would be available for the Low Income Pool program, which provides additional money to hospitals that serve large numbers of poor and uninsured patients. But state and federal health officials continue discussing details of how the “LIP” money could be used.
Because of the uncertainty about what are known as “terms and conditions,” the conference committee has not included LIP money in the budget. Instead, it tried to reach agreement on a process for using the money after federal and state officials finalize the terms and conditions.
Broadly, the House and Senate are proposing a process that would lead to the state Agency for Health Care Administration submitting a budget amendment to the Legislature that would request release of the funds after the terms and conditions are finalized. The request would have to detail issues such as how the LIP money could be used and how it would be distributed.
But a snag emerged Saturday because of a wording difference between the House and Senate about approval — or rejection — of the request submitted by the Agency for Health Care Administration.
