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| PHOTO: Florida's Gov. Rick Scott is one of a number of Republican governors who have refused to accept federal money to expand their states' Medicaid programs. Illustration credit: Sam Beddoes/Flickr Creative Commons. |
The state of Florida finds itself in an enviable position. It's expecting a $1 billion surplus in the upcoming fiscal-year budget. Gov. Rick Scott's proposed budget includes increasing public-school spending - but it does not include expanding Florida's Medicaid program.
Scott, who credits an improving economy for the windfall, said he wants to return some of the money to Floridians in the form of tax cuts.
"People know best how to spend their own money," he said, "and that's why now that we have a budget surplus, we are giving back Floridians $673 million in their own money."
Medicaid expansion would send billions of dollars in federal aid to the state under the Affordable Care Act. But Republicans, who own a super-majority in the Florida Statehouse, remain staunchly opposed to the idea of federally run health care. As a result, said House Minority Leader Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, Florida is leaving another type of windfall on the table that instead is being gobbled up in states that do participate.
"In terms of health care, thus far, we've lost upwards of $10 billion to the (other) states," Pafford said. "That $51 billion figure has been reduced by at least $10 billion."
Scott, a former hospital executive who once supported the idea of federal Medicaid expansion, now contends the state is doing just fine under a state-run Medicaid program adopted four years ago.
"I continue to feel good about what we accomplished in 2011, where we did historic Medicaid reform," Scott said. "We now have a plan that our state taxpayers can afford. We have our Medicaid recipients that are getting care."
Florida is one of 15 states with no current plans to expand Medicaid.
Scott, who credits an improving economy for the windfall, said he wants to return some of the money to Floridians in the form of tax cuts.
"People know best how to spend their own money," he said, "and that's why now that we have a budget surplus, we are giving back Floridians $673 million in their own money."
Medicaid expansion would send billions of dollars in federal aid to the state under the Affordable Care Act. But Republicans, who own a super-majority in the Florida Statehouse, remain staunchly opposed to the idea of federally run health care. As a result, said House Minority Leader Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, Florida is leaving another type of windfall on the table that instead is being gobbled up in states that do participate.
"In terms of health care, thus far, we've lost upwards of $10 billion to the (other) states," Pafford said. "That $51 billion figure has been reduced by at least $10 billion."
Scott, a former hospital executive who once supported the idea of federal Medicaid expansion, now contends the state is doing just fine under a state-run Medicaid program adopted four years ago.
"I continue to feel good about what we accomplished in 2011, where we did historic Medicaid reform," Scott said. "We now have a plan that our state taxpayers can afford. We have our Medicaid recipients that are getting care."
Florida is one of 15 states with no current plans to expand Medicaid.
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