By JAMES CALL -- The federal government has approved a long-term care waiver for the Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Program. Patients, mainly nursing home residents but some who still live in their homes, will be enrolled in private health-maintenance organizations or other types of managed-care programs. Gov. Rick Scott lobbied U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for the waiver last month on a trip to Washington. Scott says Florida's plan to overhaul how Medicaid services are delivered will lower costs. “The additional flexibility provided through this waiver helps improve our system,” said Scott in a news release Monday. “And HHS approval allows us to begin implementing changes to our current Medicaid program.” Read more: http://www.thefloridacurrent.com/article.cfm?id=31403297 … [Read more...]
Radio ‘shock jock’ trial begins in Tampa
TAMPA, Florida — Jury selection is under way in the defamation trial between two Tampa Bay-area radio disc jockeys. Todd Schnitt — better known as MJ, the host of the now-defunct "MJ Morning Show" — filed suit against Bubba "The Love Sponge" Clem. Clem is accused of making defamatory remarks about Schnitt and his wife, who is a former assistant state attorney. Jury selection in Hillsborough County court began Monday. http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/c78423471a17441fb282d61130baef7f/FL--Shock-Jock-Trial … [Read more...]
Junod joins Shuffield Lowman Orlando
John Junod has the Orlando office of ShuffieldLowman. Junod is a transactional attorney focusing on real estate, mainly representing homebuilders and developers. Before joining ShuffieldLowman, Junod provided multi-state legal support to a Fortune 500 company, which included assisting in implementation of corporate policies and procedures on a broad level, and performing contract review of property acquisition for residential developments across the eastern U.S. … [Read more...]
Florida justices limit private doctor-lawyer talks
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Malpractice defendants must not try to circumvent a Florida law that bars them from obtaining confidential medical information about plaintiffs from other doctors or dentists who are treating them, the state Supreme Court said in a ruling. Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Florida-justices-limit-private-doctor-lawyer-talks-4135537.php#ixzz2FyopgaTL … [Read more...]
Florida’s Law Against Loud Music in Vehicles Struck Down
By Lloyd Dunkelberger -- THE LEDGER TALLAHASSEE BUREAU | Florida's law telling drivers who blast their car stereos loudly to turn it down is an unconstitutional restriction of free-speech rights, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The decision will reverberate throughout the state in communities that have modeled local ordinances and restrictions on the state law. In Thursday's ruling, based on two Pinellas County cases, the state's highest court upheld an opinion from the Lakeland-based 2nd District Court of Appeal that nullified the 2005 state law that allowed police officers to pull over motorists if their sound systems are "plainly audible" from 25 feet away. http://www.theledger.com/article/20121213/POLITICS/121219683?Title=Florida-s-Law-Against-Loud-Music-in-Vehicles-Struck-Down … [Read more...]
