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| In Reversal, Florida to Take Health Law’s Medicaid Expansion | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Gov. Rick Scott of Florida reversed himself on Wednesday and announced that he would expand his state’s Medicaid program to cover the poor, becoming the latest — and, perhaps, most prominent — Republican critic of President Obama’s healthcare law to decide to put it into effect. | Gov. Rick Scott of Florida reversed himself on Wednesday and announced that he would expand his state’s Medicaid program to cover the poor, becoming the latest — and, perhaps, most prominent — Republican critic of President Obama’s healthcare law to decide to put it into effect. |
| It was an about-face for Mr. Scott, a former businessman who entered politics as a critic of Mr. Obama’s health care proposals. Florida was one of the states that sued to try to block the law, and, after the Supreme Court ruled last year that though the law was constitutional, states could choose not to expand their Medicaid programs to cover the poor, Mr. Scott said that Florida would not expand its programs. | It was an about-face for Mr. Scott, a former businessman who entered politics as a critic of Mr. Obama’s health care proposals. Florida was one of the states that sued to try to block the law, and, after the Supreme Court ruled last year that though the law was constitutional, states could choose not to expand their Medicaid programs to cover the poor, Mr. Scott said that Florida would not expand its programs. |
| Mr. Scott said on Wednesday that he now supported a three-year expansion of Medicaid — through the period that the federal government has agreed to pay the full cost of the expansion, and before some of the costs are shifted to the states. | Mr. Scott said on Wednesday that he now supported a three-year expansion of Medicaid — through the period that the federal government has agreed to pay the full cost of the expansion, and before some of the costs are shifted to the states. |
| “While the federal government is committed to paying 100 percent of the cost, I cannot in good conscience deny Floridians that needed access to healthcare,'’ Mr. Scott said at a news conference. “We will support a three-year expansion of the Medicaid program under the new health care law as long as the federal government meets their commitment to pay 100 percent of the cost during that time.” | “While the federal government is committed to paying 100 percent of the cost, I cannot in good conscience deny Floridians that needed access to healthcare,'’ Mr. Scott said at a news conference. “We will support a three-year expansion of the Medicaid program under the new health care law as long as the federal government meets their commitment to pay 100 percent of the cost during that time.” |
| He said that there were “no perfect options'’ when it came to the Medicaid expansion. “To be clear: our options are either having Floridians pay to fund this program in other states while denying health care to our citizens,” he said, “or using federal funding to help some of the poorest in our state with the Medicaid program as we explore other health care reforms.” | He said that there were “no perfect options'’ when it came to the Medicaid expansion. “To be clear: our options are either having Floridians pay to fund this program in other states while denying health care to our citizens,” he said, “or using federal funding to help some of the poorest in our state with the Medicaid program as we explore other health care reforms.” |
| Mr. Scott added that the state would not create its own insurance exchange to comply with another provision of the law. | Mr. Scott added that the state would not create its own insurance exchange to comply with another provision of the law. |
| But his reversal on Medicaid sent ripples through the nation, especially given the change in tone and substance since the summer, when he said that he would neither create an exchange nor expand Medicaid. “Floridians are interested in jobs and economic growth, a quality education for their children, and keeping the cost of living low,” Mr. Scott said in a statement at the time. “Neither of these major provisions in ObamaCare will achieve those goals, and since Florida is legally allowed to opt out, that’s the right decision for our citizens.” | But his reversal on Medicaid sent ripples through the nation, especially given the change in tone and substance since the summer, when he said that he would neither create an exchange nor expand Medicaid. “Floridians are interested in jobs and economic growth, a quality education for their children, and keeping the cost of living low,” Mr. Scott said in a statement at the time. “Neither of these major provisions in ObamaCare will achieve those goals, and since Florida is legally allowed to opt out, that’s the right decision for our citizens.” |