Tampa Bay Gas Prices May Drop Below $2 A Gallon

With falling gas prices, it is possible that the Tampa Bay area will see gas prices fall below the $2 a gallon mark, according to the Tampa Bay Times. In Thursday's Times, business columnist Robert Trigaux writes that this is a distinct possibility ("Are Tampa Bay gas prices heading back below $2 a gallon?").

In the past year, gas prices in the bay area have dropped "an average of 91 cents a gallon," with the average price close to $2.28 a gallon, a penny less than the previous day. Last month's average was $2.51 a gallon, Trigaux writes.

The price of crude oil down "by almost 60 percent" from its 2014 peak, according to the Wall Street Journal, with prices possibly remaining low for "months and maybe years to come."

To read more of the Tampa Bay Times' article, go to http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/are-gas-prices-heading-back-to-2-a-gallon-in-the-tampa-bay-area/2242212.

HCA To Gov. Scott: Increase Medicaid Payments

Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) has called on Florida Gov. Rick Scott to overhaul the way the state pays for low-income patients, stating that the Low Income Pool in "not a long-term solution and often yields inequitable results," according to The News Service of Florida. According to the article in the Orlando Business Journal, ("HCA asks for higher Medicaid payments to replace LIP"), HCA "recommended increasing base Medicaid payment rates for hospitals," as well as possibly increasing a hospital-provider tax, which would replace the Low Income Pool program.

LIP is scheduled to expire June 30 unless an agreement in reached between state and federal officials.

Money from LIP is part of an agreement between the state and federal governments under a Section 1115 Waiver. It was originally approved to help hospitals deal with the number of uninsured adults who could not pay their medical bills, according to PolitiFactFlorida ("Rick Scott says feds are 'walking away' from funding Florida's Low Income Pool Program"). LIP, which started in 2005, was renewed until 2013. However, when the time came to negotiate an extension beyond 2014, "Florida upped the funding request to a whopping $4.5 billion to expand the program..." after reusing $51 billion in federal money to expand Medicaid over 10 years.

In the HCA letter, the hospital company stated that "it receives a disproportionately small amount of money through the Low Income Pool..."

Incidentally, before becoming governor, Rick Scott was CEO of Columbia/HCA. According to another PolitiFactFlorida article, the Florida Democratic Party's claim that Scott "oversaw the largest Medicare fraud in the nation's history" was "Mostly True" ("Rick Scott 'oversaw the largest Medicare fraud in the nation’s history,' Florida Democratic Party says").

To read the articles referenced, click here for the Orlando Business Journal/News Service of Florida article, here for the first PolitiFactFlorida article, and here for the second PolitiFactFlorida article.

Dog Treat Recall; Salmonella Risk

A popular dog treat and dog toy maker has issued a recall over a possible Salmonella risk. Nylabone issued the recall for its puppy chews, according to the Palm Beach Post ("Popular dog treat maker issues recall over Salmonella risk").

A news release states that one of of the 1.69 oz. package of Puppy Start Kit dog chews is affected. The affected packages are marked with Lot #21935, UPC 0-18214-81291-3 (marked on the back of the package), with an expiration date of 3/22/18.

Consumers "should discontinue use of the product and may return the unused portion to the place of purchase for a full refund," according to the press release. Consumers "kends covered by third-party poison control center)."

To read the Palm Beach Post article, go to http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/lifestyles/health/popular-dog-treat-maker-issues-recall-over-salmone/nk4D4/. To read the entire press release, go to http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm444560.htm.