Florida fully intends to participate in a federal program that allows states to buy antivirals at a subsidized price, but is waiting on lawmakers to approve the money, state health officials said Friday.
The remarks were in response to concerns from federal officials that Florida's budget problems may cause the state to miss out on a chance to buy flu medicine at a subsidized price. The lower rate is an effort to create a stockpile to stave off a possible pandemic.
In a letter sent Thursday to state health officials, Dr. Robin Robinson of the Public Health Emergency Preparedness Office at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said the agency was disappointed to hear that Florida may not be able to participate in the program.
The initiative allows states to get antivirals at a lower price negotiated by the federal government to boost their stockpile.
State lawmakers have warned that this year's budget is tight and that new spending items will be hard to pay for. It wasn't clear from Robinson's letter why HHS believed Florida wouldn't be able to participate in the program and agency officials couldn't be reached after hours Friday for comment.
Dr. Bill Tynan, the medical director of Florida's Office of Public Health Preparedness, responded on Friday, telling HHS that Florida doesn't intend to forfeit its anitviral purchases under the federal subsidy program.
"The Florida purchase is contingent on approval and appropriation of funds by the Florida Legislature," Tynan wrote. "The Florida Legislature is currently in session through early May, 2007. Florida is not requesting a forfeit of our allocation at this time."
Robinson warned Florida that if it doesn't come up with money to buy antivirals at the reduced price through the federal government's deal with drug makers, Florida would be the only state not participating, and might have to pay full price for the medicine.
Sen. Durell Peaden, chairman of the Senate committee that writes the health care budget, said he didn't know why the federal government was concerned now when a vote by state lawmakers on the budget is weeks away.
"Is somebody trying to threaten us?" Peaden asked when informed of the HHS letter, which he said he hadn't heard about. Peaden said some lawmakers were concerned about the cost of the antivirals, even at the subsidized price, because there's no guarantee about how effective the medicine will be if a flu pandemic doesn't happen for years.
He also noted that he can only write into the health care budget the money that's available, and state economists have said that incoming tax dollars aren't growing.
"We'd like to participate, but the appropriations committee is waiting on the money," said Peaden, R-Crestview.
Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach was Peaden's counterpart on the committee that writes the health care budget in the House. Bean said the antivirals only have a shelf life of five years, and with all the other needs in health care spending, "it just doesn't rank as one of my priorities."
While noting that balancing a budget can be difficult, Robinson reminded Florida officials that "HHS considers pandemic preparedness as one of the top health priorities for the country at federal, state, local and individual levels."
State Health Department spokeswoman Wendy Riemann noted that Gov. Charlie Crist has requested lawmakers spend more than $34 million for the antiviral stockpile.
"We hope the Legislature will pass it," Riemann said.
