U.S. Rep. Castor Helps Launch State Medicaid Expansion Caucus

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) announced today that she and 32 members of Congress have created the State Medicaid Expansion Caucus to raise local, state and national awareness of the adverse economic and health impacts caused by the 24 states -- including Florida -- that have refused to expand health services for working Americans under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.
"Almost 1 million Floridians have been left in the lurch by the petty partisanship of Governor Scott and the Republican legislature. Their studied inaction is fiscally irresponsible and disadvantages our hospitals, clinics and medical centers. In addition to providing needed health services, it is projected that Medicaid expansion would create 63,000 jobs for our state," U.S. Rep. Castor said. "State legislators and Gov. Scott have shirked their responsibility to bring back $50 billion in hard-earned tax dollars to Florida, thereby leaving more than 800,000 Floridians without access to medical care," U.S. Rep. Castor said.

The Affordable Care Act provided for health coverage for working Americans, those with incomes up to 138% of the poverty level. For years, cost-shifting placed the burden of uncompensated care on policy holders and providers. The ACA aims to fix that inequity. Under the ACA, for the first three years 100 percent of the Medicaid expansion costs are covered by the Federal Government with tax dollars Floridians already paid, with the contribution phasing down to 90 percent in 10 years. Florida could draw down on $51 billion in federal funding over 10 years. By the end of this fiscal year, Florida will lose $1.2 billion from this pot, sending these taxpayer dollars to pay for health care for people in other states.

"Florida's Republican Governor and Legislature have turned a blind eye to hard-working Floridians."

The State Medicaid Expansion Caucus is chaired by U.S. Reps. G.K. Butterfield (NC-01) and Hank Johnson (GA-04). The congressional members who made today's announcement were joined by representatives from healthcare advocacy groups, including: Families USA; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Coalition on Human Needs; the Catholic Health Association of the United States; Satcher Health Leadership Institute; Center for Health Care Strategies' and the Georgetown Center for Children and Families.

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