“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much. It is whether we provide enough for those who have little.”
– Franklin Roosevelt
The governor and the Florida legislature have denied Medicaid expansion harming more than 800,000 Floridians, including thousands of veterans, who lack health insurance. Republican Senator Marco Rubio worked on the creation of Florida’s “anti-Obamacare” healthcare “exchange” which proved to be a failure, less than 200 people enrolled in the program. Two years ago, when Scott was seeking re-election, he spoke in support of Medicaid expansion, calling it “a compassionate and common sense solution”. He’s since reversed his position, saying Floridians will have to pay a share of it and that will mean higher taxes.
Based on numbers, this totally contradicts how Floridians view the affordable Care act. More than 1.6 million Floridians have signed up for coverage, 72 percent obtained coverage for $100 or less per month. They have embraced “Obamacare” leading the nation in the number of residents enrolling in the program.
The truth is Medicaid expansion is funded by our federal tax dollars and never dips below 90 percent reimbursement. A new federal report shows Florida is losing $8.9 billion and 71,000 jobs by not expanding Medicaid.
The governor and the legislature have displayed a stunning lack of leadership throughout this process. He balanced his budget using federal health-care funding he was aware was expiring, reversed his support for Medicaid expansion and was absent from budget discussions. He bullied Senate lawmakers by threatening to veto projects they supported and threatened Florida hospitals by launching a commission to investigate their finances. Scott and the legislature are not helping to improve the lives of average Floridians. They are pandering to special interests and ignoring the citizens they are supposed to be representing and helping. What a shame.
Villager Joseph Flynn is Democratic state central committeeman for Sumter County.