Speaking after Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, Florida Gov. Rick Scott echoed House Speaker Steve Crisafulli’s statements on the prospect of losing federal funds for hospitals treating low income patients. Scott claims expanding Medicaid would not replace low income pool, or LIP, funding.
“LIP is completely separate from Medicaid expansion,” Scott says. “If you go look at Texas, go look at California, one expanded Medicaid, one didn’t, and both of them are getting significantly more dollars under LIP than what Florida’s getting today or ever gotten.”
Meanwhile, critics say expanding Medicaid would ensure low-income patients have health coverage when they’re admitted to a hospital, making LIP reimbursement irrelevant.
