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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
June 1, 2015 Camila Gallardo
cgallardo@nclr.org
(305) 215-4259
WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the Florida State Legislature prepares to reconvene this afternoon to begin a special session, NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is calling on state leaders to move forward on legislation that will help close the health coverage gap for nearly one million Floridians, including 200,000 Latinos. The impasse on whether to accept federal funding that would enable the state to expand its Medicaid program and increase access to health insurance for those who fall into the coverage gap has threatened to shut down the state government if an agreement cannot be reached by July 1.
During the regular session, the Florida State Senate unanimously passed a fiscally responsible budget that included accepting $50 billion in federal dollars to provide health insurance to low-income people, including workers, veterans, parents and people with disabilities. The $50 billion in federal funds have already been paid for through taxes on health insurance premiums and durable medical equipment, reductions in Medicare payments to hospitals and cuts to hospital disproportionate share payments.
“The lives of nearly one million Floridians hang in the balance while the State Senate engages in what is clearly an ideological tug of war between the State House and the governor that benefits no one. Every day, up to six Floridians die because they lack access to affordable health insurance—that is immoral when we know the federal government is standing by with the funding necessary to provide coverage to those who need it most,” said Jared Nordlund, Florida Senior Strategist, NCLR.
Last month, Governor Rick Scott sued the Obama administration over its intent to cut in half the federal funding provided for the state’s Low Income Pool (LIP). LIP reimburses doctors and hospitals for medical care provided to those who cannot afford to pay. The Department of Health and Human Services has rightly claimed that expanding Medicaid and enrolling Floridians in insurance through the ACA exchange would provide a better solution since it covers the individual’s comprehensive health care needs, including important preventative benefits.
“Ultimately, expanding the number of insured Floridians will reduce the need for LIP as well as cut down on higher-cost emergency room visits. LIP is not health insurance and not the solution working families deserve; increasing access to health insurance is. This should not be used as one more distraction from the fact that the State House and the governor are failing to respond to the critical health care needs of a significant segment of the state’s population,” continued Nordlund.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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