Today, the Senate approved a bill that would allow the state to accept $50 billion under the Affordable Care Act, thus providing health coverage to 1.2 million Floridians. But there’s one big problem, the House isn’t budging.
The House isn’t interested in accepting federal dollars, but instead wants to use $237 million in state funds to cover 115,000 residents.
House Democratic Leader Perry Thurston, who applauded the Senate’s bipartisan approval of House Bill 7169 said, he wants Floridians to know that the House is “purposefully slowing deliberations at this critical juncture.” He took the extraordinary procedural step of requesting that every bill coming before the Florida House of Representatives be read in full.
“It’s unfortunate that we have had to take such unusual action today, but my Democratic colleagues and I believe that a drastic situation requires drastic tactics, Thurston said in a statement. “The 1.2 million people who can be provided medical coverage under proposed legislation may not be aware of what’s transpiring in Tallahassee. Today, I want them to know that the 44-member House Democratic Caucus stands in support of them.”
Thurston added: “In addition to the procedural moves that we are taking in the Florida House to draw public attention to the plight of Floridians needing health coverage, I have also urged Governor Rick Scott to be prepared to call a special session for passage of a health coverage expansion plan and to consider vetoing the state budget.
