The new Florida Medicaid plan

It has passed the legislature, there is a 1/20 summary here, and an ungated piece here.  Here are a few salient points:

1.Most of the patients will be moved into managed care.

2. In most cases malpractice awards — for Medicaid patients only — will be capped at $300,000.

3. “Last month, the federal government advised legislators to choose the payment system that would guarantee that a percentage of the money, in this case 90 percent, would go to patient services. Instead, the Legislature chose the other option: to share profits with managed-care companies.”

By what percentage will the real value of Florida Medicaid benefits be eroded?  What does this imply about the future political equilibrium of where spending cuts will come?  Will Medicaid as we know it survive?

It remains to be seen whether the Federal government, which has the ability to veto the plan, will approve the proposal.