Gov.-elect Rick Scott’s Health Care transition team recommended on Monday that, some of the work of the state’s health care agencies should be consolidated, the state should push for repeal of the federal health care law and shifting of Medicaid patients to managed care should continue.
The recommendations of Alan Levine, who was secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration under Gov. Jeb Bush, and his team, were made public by the Scott transition office yesterday evening.
Levine, who after leaving the Bush administration went to work for Governor Bobby Jindal in Louisiana, said there was a consensus in the transition team that several Florida health and human services agencies overlapped in their roles, and that some consolidations would make sense.
The team recommended merging the Department of Health and the Agency for Health Care Administration, while considering adding other agencies which overlap as well.
“In the team’s review, the merger could provide substantial efficiencies, including the reduction of duplicate processes and services, an enhanced customer experience, and the ability to more effectively identify system-wide support,” the transition team report said.
Joining those two agencies in a larger health and human services agency might be the Agency for Persons With Disabilities and the Department of Elder Affairs, the team said.
The state used to have a health and human services agency, but it was split into more mission-specific agencies about two decades ago.
The News Service of Florida
