Haridopolos Urges U.S. Senate to Repeal Health Care Law

Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, wants the U.S. Senate to take up the repeal of the federal health care law signed by President Barack Obama last year. Representatives in the House passed repeal legislation Wednesday.

Washingtons unfunded mandate has the potential to blow up Floridas budget by nearly doubling the size of those who receive Medicaid in the state. One out of every four Floridians will be on Medicaid because of the new federal health care law. Currently Florida spends more than $20 billion out of a $70 billion budget on a federal program that most admit doesnt serve patients well and costs the taxpayers more than it should. Any additional money that goes to Medicaid takes away from spending priorities like education, transportation and economic development. We can do better.

Today, I respectfully ask the U.S. Senate to follow the Houses lead in scrapping this tax-raising, big-government program. The solution to solving the health care issue should then be sent to the states, which know best how to meet the needs of their citizens. The federal governments one-size-fits-all approach doesnt work.

In Florida, were working on a solution to reform Medicaid by providing quality care at reduced prices.It can be done. I ask the federal government to give Florida the flexibility it needs to make these reforms work. Oftentimes we confused Medicaid and Medicare, which provides health benefits to our seniors. Heres the difference: Medicaid is broken while the Medicare program works because of contributions by federal taxpayers. Floridas reform plans would not impact the Medicare program. You dont fix something thats not broken.

"The essential part is that we all work together. Republicans and Democrats came together in 1996 to reform welfare. As a result of giving states needed flexibility, welfare rolls were reduced by 60 percent. We can do it again," Haridopolos said Thursday.

Haridopolos' call is likely to fall on deaf ears, as U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has already stated he will not take up the bill.

Haridopolos announced last week he is running for Sen. Bill Nelson's seat in 2012. Nelson announced Wednesday he is seeking re-election.