Proposed health care plans and what they mean to you

There are currently some 45 million uninsured citizens in the US. President Obama has made changing the health system a central part of his agenda, arguing significant reform is needed for the nation's long-term economic growth and the government's long-term fiscal health. His first proposed budget includes a $600 billion tax increase to pay for expanded coverage. Congress is drafting a health care reform plan that could have a significant effect on the business community. The portion that all components are concerned with is whether to create a new public insurance plan to compete with private plans.

Below are some of the different plans being considered:

• A new FULL-SCALE PUBLIC PLAN that would piggy-back on the rate-setting powers of Medicare. Any doctors who participate in Medicare would have to participate in this plan and would have to accept the same Medicare payment rates. It is believed that such a plan could operate with lower costs thus allowing more affordable premiums (compared to private coverage). On the other hand, it is believed too stringent reimbursements could drive some financially stressed hospitals into bankruptcy. Others are concerned that a government subsidized public insurance plan might entice many citizens/employers away from private insurance to save money. Proponents want to discourage employers from doing this and encourage competitive private plans that deliver better services at lower costs.
• HALF-SCALE PUBLIC PLAN which would require any public plan to hold the same reserves as private plans and sustain itself from premium income without drawing on the federal treasury. It would probably pay providers higher rates than Medicare but lower rates that most private plans. Again it counts on lower administrative cost to reduce premiums.
• STATE-BASED PLANS such as the new Cover Florida with an option for the federal government to step in after 5 years if the state is not meeting performance standards. Cover Florida (aimed at those who've lost their jobs or work as independent contractors - e.g. area Realtors - and don't have access to group coverage) allows recipients to choose between catastrophic and preventive coverage. The more a customer pays, the more benefits are included. It is offered via private companies.
• PRIVATE NON-PROFIT COOPERATIVES - run for the benefit of their members to compete with profit making insurance plans. The presumed advantage is that cooperatives might be able to charge lower premiums because of their non-profit status. Having existed at the local/regional level for decades, some have gone belly up, and others still provide high quality care at reasonable prices. Some believe that cooperatives would be unlikely to deliver as much savings as a large public plan.

For more information about these plans, or other issues affecting your business, contact Jim Cameron, Government Relations at (386) 255-0981, ext. 226.

Follow the Chamber on Twitter!

You can now follow the Chamber on Twitter! Stay in tune with local news, government relations updates and event announcements.

You can also find the Chamber on Facebook at www.facebook.com/daytona.chamber. Be sure to check out our event pictures and shop our Chamber members for your products and services!

2009 Membership Campaign Wrap-up

Our 2009 "Diamond" Membership Campaign came to a close in late May, and we are very pleased to announce that we've brought in 82 new members! Special thanks to our Campaign Co-Chairs, Cindy Ritzi-Arnaoutis and Doug Reece, and our Team Managers, Jason Ferrara, Rufus Johnson, Tom Leek, Terry Sabiston, Bobby Thigpen, Decker Youngman and Bob Williams. Thanks also to Board Member Bob Davis for providing our winning prize trips.

The Chamber would also like to thank all of our members who participated in the campaign through signing new members or the donation of prizes. In this difficult economy the success of the campaign was truly a collaborative effort.

And to our 82 new members - welcome to the Daytona Beach/Halifax Area Chamber of Commerce! Special thanks to Carefree Catering and J & T Bartending for sponsoring the New Member Reception!

New Member Receptions are held quarterly at the Chamber. All new members of the Chamber are invited for introductions to Chamber departments, networking exercises and to distribute promotional materials.

Volusia/Flagler Property Tax News

Volusia and Flagler's taxable property valuations dropped about 18 percent and 16.6 percent respectively in 2008, according to preliminary figures recently released by county property appraisers. These declines range from 10.6 percent in DeBary; 16.8 percent in Palm Coast; and almost 24 percent in Deltona and Ponce Inlet. (The determinations are based on property values as of Dec. 31, 2008.)

These figures (and subsequent adjustments) will be used by local governmetns during the next several months to prepare their budgets and property tax rates for the upcoming year.

VCARD's June 5 forum analyzed this process of assessing property values, particularly focusing on the recent economic downturn's impact on property valuations and the assessment process. The forum included an indepth presentation by Voulsia County Property Appraiser Morgan Gilreath. Thanks also to the other participants: Attorneys Mark Watts (Cobb Cole) and Mark Hall; Appraiser Cliff Fisher; and Program Coordinator Ron Nowviskie (Root Organization).

FYI - Legislation passed during the reecnt session (HB521) lends more support to property owners who challenge a county property appraiser's assessment of their property value. The new law refines the "presumption of correctness" for property appraisers when their assessments are challenged, thus giving the impacted property owners equality in the process. Previously, they held the burden to prove the assessor was wrong.

Florida's 2009 "Community Renewal Act"

Summary:

The state legislature's "Community Renewal Act" (SB360) - a significant growth managemetn bill - has been signed into law by Gov. Charlie Crist. It is geared to promote economic development and steer future development to more urbanized areas. (Note: State Rep. Dorothy Hukill, a VCARD member from Volusia County, was a sponsor of the House version of this bill.)

...The most discussed provisions exempt transportation concurrency requirements within cities having populations exceeding 5,000 and densities of at least 1,000 people per square mile. At least seven entire counties also qualify for the exemptions by having populations exceeding 1 million or an average of at least 1,000 persons per square mile (including the incorporated cities). They are Broward, Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, Orange, Palm Beach and Pinellas.

...Other major provisions enable development permits with an expiration date between Sept. 1, 2008 and Jan. 1, 2012 to be extended and renewed for two years following the expiration date. The extension applies to state environmental permits and DRI development orders, building permits and build out dates - but not permits issued by the US Army Corpos of Engineers. Impacted permit holders must notify the authorizing authority no later than Dec. 31, 2009.

...The bill eliminates reviews for Development of Regional Impact (DRIs) on new projects within cities meeting the same population and density requirements as the transportation concurrency requirements - as well as counties that meet certain criteria for population, density and the established urban service areas.

...The act also enables local governmetns to exempt additional areas from DRI and transportation concurrency review by designating them as areas of urban infill, community redevelopment or urban service.

...Finally, the act extends until Dec. 1, 2011 requirements that local governments update their capital improvement elements to be "financially feasible" (i.e. prove that sufficient funding and capital improvements will be obtained to maintain the designated levels of service.) Many municipalities are having difficulties meeting the current deadline that expired last December.

Governor Crist's visit to the Ocean Center

In a luncheon co-hosted by the Chamber and the Tiger Bay Club, Governor Charlie Crist spoke of a Florida economy that is starting to rebound and stressed that all facets of the community must work together to get through these difficult times.

As a means to balance the State budget, Crist supported the federal stimulus package championed by President Obama. He pointed out that these dollars were needed to help plug a $6 billion state budget shortfall -- a position the Legislature supported.

While he is supportive of Florida's use of stimulus money as a “pragmatic and practical thing”, he drew a distinction between those and other federal tax issues, opposing other proposed tax increases being considered in Washington. On another budget note, he supports the $1 per pack cigarette tax adopted by the Legislature to help plug the state's budget shortfall.

He also spoke of the new CoverFlorida health insurance program to provide an affordable alternative means of healthcare to uninsured, low-income individuals, stressing that the new program hadn't cost a single taxpayer dollar.

On the education front, the Governor pointed to Florida as spending more per student and paying teachers more than last year due to the $1.3 billion federal stimulus bill. The total package for Florida stimulus bill was $1.5 billion. “Florida ranked #10 in education”. He also applauded the compact with Seminole Tribe which will provide "over $200 million" for schools.

In closing Crist spoke of his Everglades Restoration efforts - a project that bought land parcels (72,500 acres) near Lake Okeechobee for preservation, and his support for securing our border and the stopping of illegal immigration.

Finding the 'green' in Brownfields: The Economic Benefits of Redevelopment

On June 26th, Volusia County Association for Responsible Development (VCARD) will partner with the Volusia League of Cities and the Business Development Partnership to present an educational program on opportunities available through properties designated as Brownfields. Brownfields are select properties whose previous use complicates redevelopment due to actual or "perceived" contamination.

The program will provide valuable information about the lucrative financial and economic incentives available to local governments and development professionals when updating some previously-developed properties. Included in this mix are many tracts within enterprise zones and community redevelopment districts.

Panelists will include representatives from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), Florida Brownfields Association, Volusia County Department of Economic Development’s Interim Director Phil Ehlinger, and CobbCole Land Use Attorney Chris Challis.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon in the Daytona Beach International Airport’s second floor Volusia Room. The cost to attend is $23, which includes lunch afterward.

A limited number of sponsorship display tables are available at the program to VCARD member firms wishing to promote their services – particularly consulting firms that work in brownfields development or local government officials who would like to promote their prospective brownfield sites and opportunities. For details, call VCARD at (386) 257-4169.

NOTE: Approval is pending from the American Planning Association (APA) for members of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) to receive certification maintenance credits for attending this June 26 educational forum.