Florida health officials have reached a settlement ending a decades-long class-action lawsuit that alleged the state is violating federal mandates by failing to deliver critical health services to two million children on Medicaid, according to NBC Miami.
Here are five takeaways:
1. The settlement comes after a 2005 lawsuit against three state agencies alleging 390,000 children did not get a medical checkup in 2007 and more than 750,000 received no dental care.
2. One of the biggest victories for the plaintiffs requires insurance plans to provide a “reasonable opportunity” for pediatricians to earn rates that are on par with Medicare, which typically pays more than Medicaid.
3. In later years, those reimbursement opportunities will extend to specialists, addressing a huge gap in the system by improving physician participation in the Medicaid program and preventing children from having to travel long distances to receive treatment.
4. Florida’s Medicaid reimbursement rates are among the lowest in the country.
5. The state will also have to meet certain medical benchmarks, such as meeting national standards for checkups, over the next two years starting in October.