Business leaders rally for health-care action

ando’s business community gathered Friday to send a message to state legislators: support Medicaid expansion in Florida, paid for by federal dollars.

The event was half rally, half panel discussion, organized by the Central Florida Partnership. It drew about 175 people.

Many of the speakers said they wanted House Republicans to abandon efforts to block Medicaid expansion.

“We’ve know for years that this is something that needs to be dealt with. I think we need to put aside our differences, Democrat or Republican, and address this,” said Diana Bolivar, president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando.

The current issue is whether Florida will accept more federal Medicaid money to expand health coverage for poor people in the state. About 1 million Floridians don’t qualify for Medicaid now, but also make too little money to buy into a government sponsored private plan.

Bolivar said business owners have been coming to her and saying that health-care costs and coverage problems are damaging them.
Frederick Mellin, president of ZHA planning and consulting, said his company has limited ability to negotiate for savings in health insurance anymore, and costs are going up.

“We have to expand Medicaid,” Mellin said. “Can we afford it? We’re already paying for it.”

Mark Wilson, president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber supports Medicaid expansion but only with a corresponding cut in health-care costs, particularly for fraud and litigation.

“Our position has not been popular. But that’s OK. We think this is the right solution,” Wilson said. “I have a sign in my office that says, if you’re not taking flak, you’re not over the target.”

Darden battles EEOC

Darden Restaurants continued to battle the EEOC in a federal lawsuit filed in February in which the government alleges age discrimination in hiring at Seasons 52 restaurants.

In a March filing in the case, Darden asked a judge to throw out the lawsuit, claiming that the EEOC hadn’t sufficiently alleged a pattern of discrimination, among other things. On April 20, the EEOC responded, pointing out that it had made specific allegations of a pattern.

The crux of the emerging dispute is whether the restaurants had an organized process designed to exclude older employees, according to the court documents.

Web Benefits hiring

Another tech-related company has taken over a formerly foreclosed building in Orlando, this time on Sand Lake Road in Crownepointe Commerce Park.

Web Benefits Design, which specializes in online benefits administration software and analytics, bought all the units in the mostly vacant office condo building at 4725 W. Sand Lake Road. Over three years, the company hopes to fill the building and hire up to 300 people.

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