Legislation Can Lead Healthcare Costs Higher

Sure, smart legislation can add protection for patients, control costs and close gaps in the healthcare system. But simply passing laws that inject large amounts of money with limited oversight and pushing one-size-fits-all government mandates can add complexities that aren’t good in the end for providers or consumers.

 
As a result of the healthcare legislation passed in 2024, Florida will spend an estimated $1.5 billion over the next decade to fund Live Healthy initiatives. Floridians are going to be on the hook to foot the bill one way or another, and they should get what they pay for.

No doubt there are a lot of important areas addressed with Live Healthy such as taking steps to build the medical workforce, adding services for those with disabilities and protecting people from aggressive debt collectors. Plus, it’s a wise choice to invest in innovation like the 10-year loan program established for projects that create workforce pathways and increase public access to healthcare.

 
While these are great moves, adding hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding annually creates risk for waste and inefficiencies. Government bureaucracy is never the low-cost option.

 
In addition to the cost implications, it’s key to recognize the effectiveness of legislation itself. Sometimes things get pushed though the process with good intentions but the complexities of healthcare lead to results that don’t match the intentions. 
Take the Prescription Drug Reform Act (SB1550) passed in 2023. On the surface, it seemed like a great idea…trying to add controls to address skyrocketing prescription drug costs. It created requirements for filings on price increase information and created regulations on pharmacy benefit managers. All the while, the true impacts on employers who funded health insurance and families weren’t understood.

 
Well, it’s been over a year since its passing, and consumers and businesses aren’t seeing the savings that they were promised. In fact, many have continued to see their costs increase. This again shows the legislation, no matter how well intentioned, can lead to higher healthcare costs.

Moreover, our recent survey among Floridians revealed a troubling statistic: a mere 23% of respondents believe that the Florida Legislature is taking the necessary steps to lower prescription costs.

That’s why the actual effectiveness of legislation needs to be evaluated after the fact and adjusted to address the real-world implications that weren’t anticipated. This is especially true with complex issues, such as our healthcare system.