The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) offered its “sincere appreciation” to state legislative leaders for approving a 2026–27 state budget last week that lays out $173.5 million in Medicaid funding, including $123.6 million in recurring funds. The process to make the budget final still awaits action from the governor.

FHCA’s praise was directed at state Senate President Ben Albritton (R) and state House Speaker Daniel Perez (R), and committee chairs and members for approving funding that “further strengthens Florida’s ability to deliver quality care, support a stable workforce, and achieve strong outcomes for residents and families across the state.”

Emmett Reed, CEO of FHCA said “the Medicaid reimbursement rates secured through this budget are a direct reflection of Florida's commitment to quality. Florida’s nursing centers outperform national averages across numerous metrics including residents’ daily functioning, their physical and mental health, and staffing.”

Florida's nursing centers care for more than 71,000 individuals and nearly two-thirds of these residents rely on Medicaid to cover the cost of their care.

FHCA said Florida is outpacing the nation in the standard of care provided to seniors and people with disabilities living in nursing centers as shown on FHCA's Long Term Care Quality Dashboard. 

Questions and comments? Contact Patrick Connole at pconnole@parkplacelive.com.