Larry Overton, veteran health care lobbyist, dies

longtime health care lobbyistLarry J. Overton has deceased.He was 78 years old.

Overton influenced Florida health policy, first as an executive in the (now defunct) Department of Health and Rehabilitation Services (HRS) and then as a lobbyist. At HRS, he was responsible for Medicaid policy as well as senior and adult services, economic services, mental health, children’s medical services and developmental services. He was appointed assistant secretary of HRS in 1980.

Five years later, he founded the full-fledged government law firmLarry J. Overton & Associates.

Details surrounding Overton’s death were not immediately available as of press time.

Overton was remembered Friday by contemporaries, lawmakers and influencers for his unprecedented access to health care agency staff and legislative leadership, as well as his honest, direct style.

Larry was the authority on health care legislative advocacy. He served his clients with excellence and distinction. I could always count on Larry for accurate information on complex issues. He was a principled, honorable and trustworthy man, former President of the Senate.Joe Negrontold Florida Politics. The process won’t be quite the same without Larry Overton.

Lobbyist and Director of Health Affairs for Greenberg Traurig’s Tallahassee office, Liz Dudek,worked in state government for 40 years, culminating with a position as secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration. In 1980, Dudek left his job at HRS in Gainesville to work at the Tallahassee headquarters, where Overton was his boss.

Dudek said Overton was a true gentleman.

He was committed to everything he did; and useful to many, Dudek said.

Michael Garner is a former House and Senate legislative staffer and the former president and CEO of the statewide managed care organization, the Florida Association of Health Plans (FAHP), which Overton represented.

“Larry Overton was one of the true servants of the people of Florida. Between his years of service as a state employee and his successful career as a lobbyist, Larry has mentored us all and been the silent hero behind so much good for those who need it most. He is, was, one of the good ones,” said Garner, now CEO of the Garner Group.

A lobbyist recalled that Overton was generous to foreigners. He gave money to homeless people on the streets and tipped waiters and waitresses at his favorite restaurants generously.

“He would tip 100 percent and more,” he said. “The waiters were literally arguing over who would serve the Overtons.”

At a time in Tallahassee when large lobbying firms became ubiquitous, Overton was also known for his small, successful eponymous business.

According to its website, Larry J. Overton & Associates is a full-service government relations firm that represents a wide range of clients with state agencies, the Governor’s Office, the Cabinet and the Florida Legislature. Examples of work included passing laws, obtaining appropriations, providing regulatory advice to the state, and contracting.

As one lobbyist pointed out, Overton’s success was comparable to that of a powerful lobbyist.Ron’s Book, founder of the successful company Ron Book and Associates. But they couldn’t be more different in their styles, he said. While Book loves the limelight, Overton was more quiet and behind the scenes.

Book in agreement with the evaluation.

He was efficient in the way he approached the process. Much less in your face. You know, it’s an honor to be on the same line with him, Book said.

Book clients shared with Overton over the years, such as South Broward Hospital District and Preferred Medical Plan (now defunct). They also had customers who were competitors, Book said.

Even though we had competitive clients, I don’t remember ever playing an adversarial role with Larry. Hell, if he was on the other side of me, I would have had to re-evaluate my position. I must have made a mistake. That’s, that’s how I think.