Florida Governor Rick Scott agrees to expand Medicaid program
Florida Governor Rick Scott
Photographer: WFTS
Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted: 02/20/2013
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida Gov. Rick Scott has announced that he will expand Medicaid to an estimated 900,000 additional Florida residents under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The decision is a surprise since Scott has been a vocal critic of the Affordable Care Act.
The Republican governor said Wednesday that he will support a bill that would expire in three years. Scott entered politics in 2009 running national cable TV commercials criticizing the president's plan.
The federal government will pay for the Medicaid expansion for the first three years and pay 90 percent after that.
Scott joins six other Republican governors who are also expanding Medicaid.
The decision came hours after federal officials announced they will approve Florida's request to privatize its existing Medicaid program if the state agrees to measure the quality of patient care.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
PRINT
Top Stories
-
40 jurors reached in Zimmerman trial
Attorneys in the George Zimmerman murder trial reached an important juncture Tuesday afternoon. 40 potential jurors have been identified. The process now moves to the task of choosing ten panel members from the 40 selected.
-
Gun found in theater belongs to deputy
-
180 storage units burglarized in 3 weeks
-
Car drives through Clearwater pawn shop
-
10 questions for Denis Phillips
-
Consumer Alert: Chrysler to recall Jeeps
