U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson on Monday put the burden of delivering Florida to President Obama's Medicaid expansion squarely on Gov. Rick Scott's shoulders -- even though it was the Legislature that failed to resolve the issue.
In a letter to Scott, Nelson urged the governor to call for a special session.
"... Only you have the chance to remedy the lawmakers failure to expand Medicaid to these needy Floridians," wrote the Democratic senator. "Therefore, I urge you to call a special session."
Nelson's letter to Scott is as follows:
"Dear Gov. Scott:
"In Florida a state where roughly one-in-five residents not covered by Medicare lack any health-insurance coverage at all - the consequences of the state Legislatures recent decision not to expand Medicaid loom large.
"As you know, in passing the Affordable Care Act, Congress fully funded the expansion of Medicaid coverage to an estimated one million Floridians. And, your announcement last February - when you publicly declared you wouldnt be the one to deny these Floridians this coverage - was seen by many as a watershed moment for the nations health-care bill.
"Now, the Legislature has done exactly what you said you wouldnt: it has denied these Floridians access to coverage. And now, only you have the chance to remedy the lawmakers failure to expand Medicaid to these needy Floridians. Therefore, I urge you to call a special session.
"As governor, you have a responsibility to the safety and welfare of all Floridians. And, absent further action on your part, hundreds of thousands will continue receiving their medical care in hospital emergency rooms across our state where the costs are the absolute highest, and taxpayers and policyholders foot-the-bill.
"Not only was this an unconscionable and callous decision by the Legislature it was also a bad decision for many business owners who could now end up paying tax penalties of $2,000 to $3,000 per employee. As a former state treasurer and insurance regulator, I can also tell you one of the ways to curb a rise in premiums is by reducing the high expenses associated with uncompensated and indigent medical care that get passed on to the rest of us.
"So, again, I strongly urge you to remedy the Legislatures inexcusable failure. I look forward to hearing from you on this issue of special importance and working with you to provide Floridians with this much-needed medical coverage."
In a surprise move in February, Scott, Senate Republicans, Democrats, Florida hospitals, health advocates and a diverse mix of business and labor groups all supported a bill that would have drawn down more than $50 billion from the federal government over the next decade. That would have allowed an estimated 1.1 million low-income Floridians to purchase private insurance.
But leaders in the Florida House refused to consider that proposal, saying they didn't want to take funds tied to Obama's health care overhaul. Florida lawmakers adjourned their legislative session Friday night.
With that, Florida joins 24 other states that have either decided against expanding Medicaid, or are leaning in that direction.
This isnt a phenomenon reserved to Florida. In Ohio, Republican Gov. John Kasich is having trouble moving the Medicaid expansion he supported through the states Republican-controlled Legislature. Similar fights are playing out in Arizona and Michigan, where Republican governors find themselves in the relatively odd position of trying to sell Obamacare to state legislators of their own party.
Scott, who is away from the capital Monday, has not yet replied to Nelson's letter.
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
