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Florida disputes audit of Medicaid

TALLAHASSEE - Florida is disputing an audit that claims the state owes the federal government $14.5-million it should have collected from Medicaid providers who were overpaid.

The Department of Health and Human Services released an audit Thursday saying the state didn't do enough to get money back from providers who were overpaid. Some of that money would have been owed to Washington because the federal government splits the cost of Medicaid with the state.

The state Agency for Health Care Administration disputed the findings.

The state spent about $12.5-billion last year on Medicaid, which pays some health care costs for 2-million Floridians, mostly women and children who can't afford health insurance. The federal department said that in some cases the state agency didn't adequately pursue collection when a provider was overpaid. In others, the state offered settlements and didn't submit to the federal government what was due, auditors said.

State officials said the agency properly settled cases where it wouldn't otherwise be able to collect any money. Agency Secretary Alan Levine asked in a letter Thursday to meet with federal officials about the audit.

[Last modified November 4, 2005, 01:40:17]