HHS Responds to Rick Scott on Medicaid Expansion

Gov. Rick Scott, R-Fla., offered some caution on whether Florida should accept federal funds for Medicaid expansion on Monday and the Obama administration offered a response.

The law is clear, said Ben Wakana, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Federal funding for Floridas Medicaid expansion covers 100 percent of the costs of newly eligible individuals through 2016 and will never fall below 90 percent. HHS has proven itself willing to work with any state interested in expanding Medicaid, and we have consistently said that a Florida solution would reduce costs for hospitals that are typically passed on to taxpayers and expand access to quality health care for more Floridians. Thats a common-sense path thats good for taxpayers and the economy of the Sunshine State.

Wakana and his team at HHS insisted accepting Medicaid expansion would benefit the state, hospitals and patients and noted almost 30 states have accepted the federal monies.

By not expanding Medicaid, Florida will miss out on $15 billion in federal funding between 2014 and 2016, 63,800 additional jobs through 2017, and an $11.2 billion increase in state GDP between 2014 and 2017, HHS noted on Monday. If Florida expanded Medicaid, an additional 848,000 people would have insurance coverage. More Floridians would have a usual source of care, report themselves to be in good health, and be protected from catastrophic medical bills.