Florida Governor Rick Scott said the state won’t implement some of pieces of the Federal Affordable Care Act. He said the provisions in the Federal Affordable Care act will hurt rather than help Floridians.
The governor made the rounds, talking to a number of national news stations Monday. He told Fox News he has no plans to implement optional provisions of the law like expanding the state’s Medicaid rolls, even though the federal government will cover most of the cost.
“Government healthcare plans everywhere in the world do three things. They promise you the world, they say ‘oh we’re going to cover everything.’ Then what they do is they run out of money, then they underpay hospitals, doctors and guess what happens. They don’t want to take care of you. There’s fewer of them," Scott said.
And Scott said the state won’t build insurance exchanges, which are meant to help consumers find health insurance coverage and compare costs. If the state doesn’t create one by 2014, the federal government will step in to do it.
Meanwhile, others, like Florida House Democratic Leader-designate Representative Perry Thurston, said the decision about implementation isn’t all up to Scott.
“The governor certainly has the bully pulpit and he can set the tone, but it is up to the legislature. But the problem is the governor is more focused on the national agenda of the Republican Party than the healthcare needs of his residents," Thurston said.
Thurston said it’s a “no brainer” to accept money from the federal government to expand the Medicaid rolls. He said if the government doesn’t implement the plan, Floridians will continue to cover the cost of those in need through emergency room visits
