News & Public Affairs

In a major address on the budget, President Obama proposes lowering the deficit listen

04/13/11 wire reports including AP
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Tags: Barack Obama, economy, Medicare, taxes, deficit

President Barack Obama is setting a goal of lowering the deficit by $4 trillion dollars over the next 12 years as he wades into the politically volatile debate over the nation's crushing debt.

A week after formally announcing his re-election campaign, Obama is proposing a mix of tax increases already rejected by Republicans, and cuts to safety-net health programs likely to alienate many liberals.

In a speech today at George Washington University, the president proposed cutting defense s...

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Democrats like Kathy Castor rail against proposed Medicare privatization listen

04/12/11 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Kathy Castor, Medicare, Paul Ryan, health care, budget

Last week, US Representative Paul Ryan, the Republican chair of the budget committee, unveiled a budget plan that aims to cut trillions in federal spending over the long term. It would repeal the Affordable Care Act and effectively privatize Medicare. Democratic US Representative Kathy Castor criticized the proposal in Tampa today. She said the plan places the costs of health care on the shoulders of American families.

"It will shift the cost burden to hard working families. The private h...

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Florida Senate budget committee advances bill cutting health coverage for working poor listen

04/01/11 Kate Bradshaw
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Tags: Medicare, health care, state house, 2011 legislative session, John Thrasher, JD Alexander, Nan Rich, Arthenia Joyner, Florida Legislature

The budget battled continued in the state Senate today. Republicans in the Senate Budget Committee voted to slash funds for the Medically Needy program shortly after they approved giving bonuses for judges who are quickest at moving cases through the court system.

Proposed Senate Bill 7174 would rename Medicaid’s “medically needy” program. The system, which serves those whose health care expenses place them below the poverty line, would be known as the “Medicaid nonpoverty medical subsidy....

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Outgoing Sen. LeMieux says spending is the problem listen

08/13/10 Mabili Ajani
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Tags: George LeMieux, Stetson College of Law, Mel Martinez, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, Afghanistan War, Iraq war

U.S. Sen. George LeMieux, and the the Arlington, VA-based Concord Coalition, hosted the "Fiscal Solutions Forum" in Orlando and Tampa on Wednesday.

Republican Sen. George LeMieux was appointed to complete Sen. Mel Martinez term and will not be on the ballot in November’s election. In his short time in office LeMieux proposed a constitutional amendment that would require a balanced federal budget; a bill that would temporarily reduce payroll taxes of employees and employers; and legislation...

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Additional Problems For GOP Gubernatorial Contender Rick Scott?

08/12/10 Robert Lorei
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Tags: Rick Scott, Solantic, Medicare

Our next guest is Tristram Korten who has written an article for The Florida Independent about Republican gubernatorial contender Rick Scott in which he outlines allegations that Scott's new company, Solantic, might have committed fraud against Medicare.

FMI Rick Scott article

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Bill Nelson supports health care reconciliation package listen

03/24/10 Seán Kinane
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Tags: health care reform, Bill Nelson, Medicare, Medicare advantage

Florida’s senior U.S. Senator, Democrat Bill Nelson, says he will vote for the package of health care reform fixes passed Sunday by the House. Nelson says the reform will “improve the lives of tens of millions of Americans”

“I want to say that this reconciliation bill deepens and extends the promise of health-care reform and the health care reform bill that was signed into law just yesterday. … Therefore, despite its flaws, I will vote to pass this legislation.”

Despite what Nelson ca...

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Senate Health Bill ready for a final vote tomorrow listen

12/23/09 Joshua Lee Holton
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Tags: health care reform, health care, Senate, Medicaid, Medicare

Late this afternoon the U.S. Senate voted 60-39 to end the debate on the health care reform bill. The final vote on the senate bill will be tomorrow at 7AM. Some of the concessions won by lawmakers and interest groups in the healthcare overhaul bill have been called sweetheart deals, and came under fire during the debate. Republican Senator John Cornyn criticized deals given to Democratic Senators Bill Nelson of Florida and Ben Nelson of Nebraska.

Republican Judd Gregg of New Hampshire sai...

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Medicare open enrollment deadline just weeks away listen

12/14/09 Tom Baur
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Tags: Medicare, senior citizens

Medicare's Open Enrollment for 2010 ends December 31st. Until then Florida seniors with Medicare may select a health plan for their 2010 coverage and can add, drop or change their prescription drug coverage. Seniors should carefully weigh their options because each year the cost and coverage of plans change.

Volunteers with SHINE, Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, are trained by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs to assist seniors through Medicare open enrollment by comparing...

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Castor amendment could curb fraud in Medicare Advantage listen

09/02/09 Seán Kinane
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Tags: health care reform, kathy castor, Medicare

The Medicare Advantage program, passed by the Republican Congress and signed by President George W. Bush in 2003, allows private health maintenance organizations to provide care to seniors who opt for the program. But some seniors say they have been tricked to switch from their Medicare plan to Medicare Advantage by dishonest HMOs. Virginia Seaman is a resident at the Acorn Trace Apartments in Tampa. After she was pressured to sign a form outside of a health clinic, Seaman was told by her ori...

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Medicare expert on end-of-life counsleling proposal listen

08/14/09 Mitch E. Perry
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Tags: Medicaid, Medicare, senior citizens

As President Obama continues to campaign for health care reform, a false rumor is circulating that the President and Democrats were seeking to implement "death panels," with bureaucrats making decisions about whether elderly or seriously ill patients live or die. The allegation stems in part from a provision in a bill passed by three House committees that would provide Medicare reimbursement to patients seeking end-of-life counseling.

Yesterday, lawmakers working on the Senate version said...

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