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A federal judge on Wednesday denied a request from Gov. Rick Scott that the court intervene in the state’s ongoing negotiations with healthcare regulators over the extension and revamping of a $1 billion government program that pays hospitals for caring for uninsured and under-insured patients. In denying Gov. Scott’s request, Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court in Pensacola M. Casey Rodgers cited a June 19 hearing in the state's lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that will require “extensive preparation on the part of all parties.’’ (Chang, 6/10)

Scott filed the lawsuit in April, contending that the Obama administration was trying to unconstitutionally link continuation of the state's Low Income Pool health-funding program with expansion of Medicaid. The federal government has called those arguments "baseless" and has indicated that the state will receive about $1 billion in Low Income Pool funding for the fiscal year that starts July 1. While the $1 billion is a reduction from the current year's funding for the so-called LIP program, state lawmakers are using that number as they negotiate a budget during an ongoing special session. (6/10)

Scott said in a statement Wednesday he was disappointed with the ruling and with the administration for delaying a decision. (6/10)