© 2025 WFSU Public Media
WFSU News · Tallahassee · Panama City · Thomasville
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
WFSU-FM is currently broadcasting at reduced power. We apologize for this inconvenience. And remember, you can stream or listen to WFSU on the App.

Wasserman Schultz Calls Out Weatherford For Medicaid Refusal: 'He Should Know Better'

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.

Follow @HatterLynn

Lynn Hatter is a Florida A&M University and Florida State University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master's in Professional Communication. Lynn has been with WFSU since 2007 with education and health care issues as her key coverage areas.  She has worked with several organizations, including Kaiser Health News.  Lynn has also partnered with USC-Annenberg's Center for Child Wellbeing on the nationally acclaimed series "Committed," which explored the prevalence of involuntary commitment use on children.
She serves on the board of RTDNA and the United Way of the Big Bend, with previous service on the board of the First Amendment Foundation of Florida.

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories here.