Florida Gov. Rick Scott has sued the Obama administration claiming that the federal government is trying to force the state to expand Medicaid, by suddenly ending the Low Income Pool program that provides funding for hospitals.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday, by State Attorney General Pam Bondi in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
“President Obama’s sudden end to the Low Income Pool (LIP) health care program to leverage us for Obamacare is illegal and a blatant overreach of executive power,” Scott said in a statement.
Scott says that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled three years ago that states cannot be forced to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, aka, Obamacare.
Legal experts say that the Supreme Court doesn’t necessarily apply. That’s because the hospital funds (LIP) Scott wants are part of an optional program and the federal government has broad discretion over it, the AP reports.
Over a year ago, Florida, along with seven other states, was warned that the LIP hospital funds were ending. Florida’s is due to expire on June 30. The federal government has refused to negotiate on the renewal of a $2 billion LIP fund which reimburses hospitals for unpaid bills. Officials believe that the way to extend that coverage to low-income people is through Medicaid expansion.
Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled House and Senate are at odds over the question of whether to expand Medicaid. The House, like Scott, is firmly against Medicaid expansion, while the Senate supports it.
On Tuesday, the House abruptly ended its session three days early, leaving hundreds of unfinished bills, many related to health care.
Lawmakers in the Senate continue to work.
President of the League of Women Voters of Florida, Deirdre Macnab, following the abrupt Sine Die of the House, applauded Senate President Andy Gardiner for his leadership by instructing the Senate to stay on the job. However, she expressed shock and deep disappointment that House leaders had called it quits early.
“We are shocked and deeply disappointed that the House leaders, while still on the taxpayers’ payroll, chose to abandon their post with critical legislation still to be addressed, Macnab said in a statement. “In the private sector, this would be grounds for dismissal.”
She urged Floridians to “track down House Speaker [Steve] Crisafulli and their representatives and tell them to get back to work.”
“Our State deserves better,” Macnab said.
