Rick Scott: 'Comfortable' with Medicaid Law Opposed by Counties

Gov. Rick Scott said he understands the concerns of the 47 counties that teamed to file a lawsuit Thursday challenging the new state Medicaid law that requires them to pay 85 percent of what the state claims are years of unpaid bills.

But he wouldnt say hed put a freeze on the law as the court process plays out, when asked during an interview Friday morning on WCOA 1370 AM in Pensacola.

Im very comfortable that our Agency for Health Care Administration is going to do this properly; the counties are not going to pay bills they dont owe and on top of that theyre going to get a 15 percent discount, Scott said.

I understand from the county standpoint, nobody wants to pay a bill they dont owe.

Scott signed the bill, HB 5301, into law on March 29.

On Thursday, the counties, joined by the Florida Association of Counties, filed to block the law.

The state contends the counties collectively owe more than $300 million. The state has threatened to withhold the reallocation of tax dollars as a means to collect the money.