According to Health News Florida: #
Under fire from lawmakers, the Florida Department of Health has proposed a sweeping plan to reorganize — and shrink — its operations. Among other things, it would move the state out of the primary-care business. #
The recommendations, released in a 154-page report late Tuesday afternoon, call for cutting 1,608 department jobs and consolidating dozens of divisions and bureaus. One of the proposals would buck the powerful doctors’ lobby by lifting a requirement that the department secretary be a physician. #
Health News Florida also indicates that the Department of Health report calls for the state to stop paying for primary-care services at county health departments to save about $22.3 million. #
The article also says the report coincides with some of Gov. Rick Scott’s transition team recommendations, such as moving away from primary care and allowing a non-physician to serve as department secretary. #
It adds, “Scott’s transition team went further than the report’s recommendations and called for a merger of the department with the Agency for Health Care Administration.” #
Other changes include: #
- A reduction of the department’s organizational chart, going from 11 divisions to six and 50 bureaus to 18.
- Many programs would be moved to other state agencies, including the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Agency for Health Care Administration.
- Other programs would be farmed out to private contractors or see their funding disappear.
#
