Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) has been begging the federal government to loan money to fund an expiring health care program that covers low-income Floridians, reported the Orlando Sentinel.
His meeting this week with federal officials was fruitless as they recommended that Scott opt to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), something Scott has opposed. That option would create more long-term benefits “rather than continue to rely on a temporary program designed to help hospitals cover the costs of caring for low-income, uninsured patients.”
Because Scott can’t seem to make up his mind about how to provide healthcare for nearly one million low-income Floridians, the state of Florida is on the verge of a budget crisis. What’s worse, more than healthcare is in jeopardy because Scott is an incompetent governor.
The Orlando Sentinel said “coverage for the poor and an array of proposed tax cuts and state spending, from education to conservation to local projects.” Scott is going to cost Florida more money.
Despite his waffling, Scott blames President Obama for the state’s impending, economic turmoil.
“The federal government should not just completely cut off a federal program for low-income families that has been working for years,” said Scott.
The reason why they are denying the extension of such an archaic health care program is because it only funds hospitals. The ACA applies to individuals. Florida Democrats, however, accused Scott of not caring about Florida residents.
Scott’s “showing a callous disregard for the needs of many of his fellow Floridians,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL). Medical care advocates note that there are some advantages to the Scott-supported low-income pool, but Medicaid expansion is better.
“They get care this way [low-income pool], it’s just that they get it in the most intensive, most expensive, least appropriate way,” said Linda Quick of the South Florida Hospital & Healthcare Association. “For the individual, if they do get Medicaid coverage, they might be able to make more intelligent decisions about when to get medical care.”
Gov. Scott is the worst thing to happen to Florida since Ted Bundy. Granted, Scott never killed anyone, but he’s surely just as horrible and reviled.
