What a Ride!
The legislative session is a time filled with heightened emotions. With hundreds of bills filed each year, each considered a worthy cause by its sponsor and supporters, it’s impressive that legislators are able to sort through them all and identify a lesser number to discuss and debate in those 60 days.
The rollercoaster of emotions felt by the people buzzing in the ears of legislators in support and opposition of bills is incredible. It’s a time of climbing to the top and then taking a nose dive at the next turn. What is a victory for one is a loss for the other, and roles can easily reverse the next day. It is a true success and a reason to celebrate when your cause has overcome the hurdles of the legislative rollercoaster.
Our integrated communications focus helps propel our clients’ causes forward. Through our public affairs work, in partnership with the lobbying teams’ efforts, we remind the citizens of Florida why these matters affect them and call for their continued interest and support.
At Moore Consulting Group we are proud to have been a part of major legislative victories that will positively impact people across Florida.
- Tobacco surcharge – under the direction of the American Lung Association, more money will now be available to curb teen smoking and fund health programs. The one dollar increase will save nearly 80,000 Floridians from smoking-related deaths.
- VISIT FLORIDA funding – the official tourism marketing corporation for the state of Florida secured $25 million for tourism marketing. Tourism is a proven economic investment for Florida—every $1 in tourism marketing generates $58 in visitor spending and $3 in tax revenue.
- Funding Florida’s Courts – securing adequate funding for Florida’s Courts will increase access to justice and improve transparency in the clerks of court budgets ensuring proper spending and increasing accountability to the people of Florida.
- Medically Needy funding – Florida’s vulnerable populations will see relief in their health care spending with the renewal of this program designed to lend a hand to those who need it most.
- NAMI- patients who are consistent users of pharmaceuticals often suffer from multiple chronic conditions. This victory ensures that individuals in nursing homes will not have medications from within the same therapeutic class switched. Switching drugs could dramatically upset the stability of the treatment plan crafted by a physician and the patient.
- Assignment of Benefits – Florida’s patients now have a choice about whether to have insurance payments sent directly to their out-of-network physicians. If patients wish for payments to be sent directly, insurers will have to honor this request.
While we’re happy to step off this wild rollercoaster, we look back at the twists and turns and feel a sense of amazing accomplishment. We survived it, and most importantly helped our clients have a victorious ride.
Tags: Assignment of Benefits, Florida Legislature, Funding Florida Courts, Medically Needy funding, NAMI, Tobacco surcharge, VISIT FLORIDA