It’s Day Two of a standoff between Florida House Democrats and Republicans. The issue: Medicaid.
Democrats are trying to force house leaders to hold a vote on a bill to draw down federal dollars to expand health insurance coverage to a million more low-income Floridians. To do that, they're effectively filibustering by requiring every bill heard on the floor to be read aloud in its entirety.
In a visit to Tallahassee Wednesday, National Democratic Committee Chairwoman and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Shultz backed the House Democrats in their efforts.
The Congresswoman railed against the Florida House majority for failing to consider a Senate plan to use federal Medicaid money to give a million more low-income people private health insurance plans. She also took aim at House Speaker Will Weatherford for his resistance to using federal money.
“He should know better. This is a guy who personally experienced a healthcare crisis in his family. And as a result had to go on Medicaid to make sure they could have the family’s healthcare needs taken care of. That he would deny that same opportunity for a million Floridians is shocking,” Wasserman Shultz said.
Weatherford has had to explain his resistance to the federal Medicaid expansion after his family benefited from the program at one time. The Congresswoman also criticized Governor Rick Scott for not pushing harder for the expansion. Time is running out for the legislature to reach a deal.
