Hillsborough DOGE targets county's health care plan
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Hillsborough County's version of DOGE has published findings from its "limited" review of the county's finances, identifying more than $670 million in what it deems "potential waste."
Why it matters: The report, which isn't a forensic or financial audit, arrives a week after the county discussed how to offset the potential revenue loss from a constitutional amendment to overhaul Florida's property tax system.
Driving the news: Commissioner Christine Miller (R) proposed creating the DOGE committee in April 2025; its five members were appointed by the Board of County Commissioners and met monthly for a year.
- The committee's chair, Jake Hoffman — who is also the executive director of Tampa Bay Young Republicans — praised Gov. Ron DeSantis and state CFO Blaise Ingoglia on X for "putting pressure on local elected officials."
- The report examined the state DOGE findings and included the committee's own observations about county spending.
Zoom in: The committee took particular issue with the county's health care plan, which covers residents who earn less than $30,000 as individuals or less than $60,000 for a family of four but do not qualify for Medicaid.
- The plan helps close a health insurance gap created by stagnant wages and the state Legislature's refusal to expand Medicaid.
- Many residents who would qualify for the program in other states remain ineligible in Florida. To qualify for Medicaid here, parents in a family of three would have to earn no more than $15,000 a year, according to KFF, a health policy organization.
The county's committee, however, argued that because its health care plan was created in 1991, before "Medicaid modernization and the Affordable Care Act marketplace," it is no longer needed.
- The committee recommends phasing out the plan, which saw enrollment increase last year after Affordable Care Act subsidies expired, causing premiums to triple.
- In doing so, it says, Hillsborough County could save over $452 million.
Zoom out: The committee also flagged $89 million intended to purchase and repair county vehicles, $12 million in grants for nonprofits and $1.5 million in subsidies for the Film Commission program.
Between the lines: Ingolia said the aim of the state DOGE, from which the local effort is derived, is to lay "a predicate to reducing property taxes."
- This report, which identified $678 million in "waste," now appears to offer a counterpoint to the county's stark warning that it may have to consider layoffs and new taxes should the property tax amendment pass.
What's next: County staff did not respond to specific questions about the items flagged by the committee, telling Axios it is still reviewing the report.