9 Investigates

Despite promises by Rep. Webster, no nursing home protections in Senate healthcare bill

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — In the first draft of the House health care bill, Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Lake County) was a “no” vote.

When the second draft of the American Health Care Act was unveiled, Webster was initially a "no" as well, citing concerns over cuts to Medicaid that would impact residents in nursing homes.

“Florida will be penalized under the bill because of demand for Medicaid-funded nursing home beds. (It) has not been fixed. This is critical to the access some of our senior population has to Florida nursing homes; thus, he remains a no until it is addressed,” wrote Webster’s office in early May.

But then, promises were made.

Webster went from a “no” to a “yes” and released a statement that read, “I have spoken with President Trump, Vice President Pence, House leadership, administration officials and Floridians at length about my concerns.

They realize that this is a problem, and President Trump, Vice President Pence and House leadership have committed to find a solution to ensure Florida is equipped to serve one of our most vulnerable. With these assurances, I am now supporting the bill."

One day later, Webster voted “yes” on the AHCA, joining 216 other members in helping to pass the bill out of the House and into the Senate, where Webster was told changes would be made to protect nursing homes.

It appears those changes haven’t been made.

The 142 pages of the Senate version of the AHCA does not appear to show the solution Webster was promised.

“Rep. Webster is reviewing the bill text and committee summaries,” wrote a spokesperson for Webster on Friday after being asked for a reaction to the apparent problem.

The Senate bill would lock in Florida’s already low Medicaid rate and, beginning in 2020, limit the federal fund Florida receives.

Sixty percent of Florida’s nursing home population relies on Medicaid, and would be impacted by the Medicaid cuts outlined in the Senate version of the AHCA.