Florida House Goes Home Early Over Medicaid Impasse

The Florida House聽鈥 at odds with the state Senate over the expansion of Medicaid 鈥 abruptly ended its session three days early on Tuesday, leaving hundreds of bills unrelated to health care unfinished.

Shortly after the adjournment, Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, against the federal government over the same issue.

Florida Governor Rick Scott on in March 2015 in Hialeah, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Here鈥檚 a brief overview of the fight: The Republican-led state House is firmly against Medicaid expansion, while the Republican-led state Senate, which is still in session, supports it. Scott once supported expansion but is now against it.

And the federal government raised the stakes of the battle by refusing to negotiate on the renewal of $2 billion in funds, mainly for the Low Income Pool program, which reimburses hospitals for unpaid bills. The federal funding will expire at the end of June.

鈥淭he pool money was about helping low-income people have access,鈥 Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell told WFSU in January. 鈥淚 think we believe an important way to extend that coverage to low-income individuals is what passed in the Affordable Care Act, is this issue of Medicaid expansion.鈥

Scott鈥檚 suit says it鈥檚 a case of coercion 鈥 Florida must expand Medicaid or lose $2 billion 鈥 and that was expressly forbidden by the Supreme Court when it upheld the health law in 2012.

Close to if the state expands Medicaid.

House Appropriations Chief Richard Corcoran recently delivered a 20-minute speech against Medicaid to fellow lawmakers.

鈥淗ere鈥檚 my message to the Senate: They want us to come dance? We鈥檙e not dancing,鈥 Corcoran said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not dancing this session, we鈥檙e not dancing next session, we鈥檙e not dancing next summer. We鈥檙e not dancing. And if you want to blow up the process because you think you have some right that doesn鈥檛 exist? Have at it.鈥

Senate President Andy Gardiner says he鈥檚 disappointed with the House鈥檚 decision: The House didn鈥檛 win, the Senate didn鈥檛 win and the taxpayers lost. There are a lot of issues that aren鈥檛 going to make it, and it鈥檚 unfortunate.鈥

But House Speaker Steve Crisafulli says it was the right thing to do: 鈥淲e鈥檝e made every effort we can to negotiate with the Senate on a budget and at this time they鈥檙e standing strong on Medicaid expansion.鈥

Crisafulli鈥檚 top legislative priority, water policy reform, is among the many bills left hanging this session.

Scott tried to pressure the Legislature to the bargaining table to craft a state budget. He threatened to veto Senate priorities, but the Senate remained unmoved.

Now, the one task the Legislature is聽mandated to do 鈥 pass a budget 鈥 remains incomplete. Scott he will call the Legislature back for a special session to complete the budget.

This story聽is part of a reporting partnership that includes WFSU, NPR and Kaiser Health News. 聽

Related Topics

Medicaid

More from 麻豆女优 Health News