Gov. Scott Flip-Flops, Now Opposes Medicaid Expansion
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TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/AP) — In a flip flop from Rick Scott, the governor now says he is opposed to the state expanding Medicaid.
In a statement Monday, Scott expressed concern that the federal government might not make good on their promise to fund Medicaid for an additional 800,000 Floridians.
"Our priority is to cut more than $600 million in taxes this session and get K-12 education funding up to record levels while holding the line on college tuition. We still have several weeks left for budget negotiations; however, given that the federal government said they would not fund the federal LIP (Low Income Pool) program to the level it is funded today, it would be hard to understand how the state could take on even more federal programs that CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ) could scale back or walk away from."
The LIP program, which is currently set to expire June 30, funnels additional money to hospitals and other health providers that serve large numbers of poor and uninsured patients.
Scott and the Legislature have been in intense negotiations with the federal government to extend more than $1 billion dollars in hospital grants. But the feds have said no and the disagreement has spilled over to Medicaid expansion.
Scott originally opposed expansion, but in an emotional speech two years ago he came out in support.
Scott's new withdrawl of support for an expansion of Medicaid in the state has crippled Tallahassee lawmakers as they finalize a new state budget before the end of the session on May 1st.
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