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Approve SB1840 on CUF
The opposition is fighting hard to kill the proposal to increase Florida's cigarette user fee by $1 per pack. No version of any CUF bill has been heard in any legislative committee, and the Session is halfway over. However, the Senate version of the CUF bill (SB 1840) has been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Finance and Tax Committee on Wednesday morning, April 1st. Senate Bill 1840 by Senator Deutch would: 1. Increase Florida's 46th-ranked cigarette user fee by $1.00 per pack. This would be the first increase in almost 20 years. 2. Provide a dedicated source of funding for health care for the most vulnerable Floridians, particularly the Medically Needy and MEDS-AD Waiver Programs. These essential programs are on the chopping block every year. 3. Reduce teen smoking now, reduce the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses later, fund cancer research and treatment, and create jobs. Please CLICK TO TAKE ACTION and/or make the following calls: Sen. Altman: (850) 487-5053
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , I'm writing to urge you to approve SB 1840 to increase the Cigarette User Fee by $1 per pack. SB 1840 would increase Florida's 46th-ranked cigarette user fee by $1.00 per pack. This would be the first increase in almost 20 years. It would provide a dedicated source of funding for health care for the most vulnerable Floridians, particularly the Medically Needy and MEDS-AD Waiver Programs. These essential programs are on the chopping block every year. It would also reduce teen smoking now, reduce the cost of treating smoking-related illnesses later, fund cancer research and treatment, and create jobs.
Sincerely, |
Campaign Launched: |
Tell Senators to Approve SB1840
| Background Information |
More About the Cigarette User Fee
POSITION: Support an increase in the cigarette user fee by $1.00 per pack in Florida, and use the additional revenue to: 1) ensure and expand access to health care for low-income children and adults, with an emphasis on the treatment of smoking-related illnesses; and 2) reduce smoking rates and alleviate the severe toll that smoking exacts on Floridians and their health.
FLORIDA BRINGS IN LESS MONEY THAN MOST STATES FROM TOBACCO SALES
CIGARETTES COST FLORIDA MONEY AND LIVES
Tobacco use imposes enormous costs on our state. The burden on the Medicaid program alone exceeds $1 billion annually. Total smoking-related health costs are more than $6 billion per year, with the combined costs - including lost productivity – reaching almost $13 billion. This year, more than 31,000 Floridians will die from smoking-related illnesses.
A $1 INCREASE PER PACK OF CIGARETTES WOULD BOOST STATE REVENUE AND GET FLORIDIANS HEALTHIER
An additional $1 fee per pack in Florida would generate a billion dollars in additional revenue in 2009-10 alone, according to the Florida Legislature’s economists. This could significantly increase access to health care, both directly (through expansion of programs and increases in services) and indirectly (by providing critically-needed increases in physician reimbursement rates under the Medicaid program).
The Healthy Florida Alliance proposes the following uses for increased cigarette revenue:
· Medically Needy: A dedicated source of revenue for short-term Medicaid coverage for low-income patients with no other way of paying their catastrophic medical bills.
· MEDS-AD Waiver Program: A dedicated source of revenue for Medicaid coverage for particularly vulnerable seniors and persons with disabilities, all of whom have incomes below 88% of poverty level.
In every state where an increase in the cigarette user fee has passed, it has BOTH consistently increased revenue AND reduced smoking rates.
