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Health official snubbed last year is nearing confirmation

By JENNIFER LIBERTO
Published April 19, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - A Senate committee confirmed Alan Levine as secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration on Tuesday, unanimously and with praise, a turnaround from last year's snub.

Levine, who has been running the agency for two years, still has to be confirmed on the floor of the Senate. That has yet to be scheduled.

Last year, the confirmation didn't even get to the committee level, because the Senate refused to confirm him. Members cited Levine's aggressive role in the 2003 fight over medical malpractice insurance. While working for Gov. Jeb Bush, Levine sent an e-mail to GOP supporters suggesting opponents be found to run against Republican senators who opposed Bush on the issue.

This year, the first step of Levine's confirmation process went fairly smoothly, in that all senators voted for him. They also praised him for his recent efforts to crack down on Medicaid fraud.

But that was after a dozen or so people spoke out about the problems that disabled Medicaid recipients face in getting motorized wheelchairs. Two parents said they had fought the system for 16 to 18 months trying to get motorized wheelchairs for their children. The chairs can range in price from $10,000 to $30,000. One parent got approved. Another didn't.

Levine said he would look into the issue.

Some wheelchair users who came to speak against Levine's confirmation were joined by business owners who sell the wheelchairs, and who also testified that agency policy was hurting their business. Also, an Orlando public relations consultant hired by the "rehabilitation industry" came with the group to talk about the issue. The firm declined to specify who hired them.

[Last modified April 19, 2006, 01:57:07]