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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFlorida Governor Inflates Cost Of Medicaid Expansion By 2,600% To Avoid Implementing Obamacare
Florida Governor Inflates Cost Of Medicaid Expansion By 2,600% To Avoid Implementing Obamacare
By Tara Culp-Ressler
Internal email messages uncovered by Health News Florida reveal that Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) is knowingly citing inaccurate cost estimates to justify his refusal to expand Floridas Medicaid program. Though the governors office is fully aware that the numbers are wrong, Scott continues to use them anyway, the documents show.
Florida, which has one of the highest rates of uninsurance in the nation, could extend health coverage to about one million low-income residents by accepting Obamacares optional Medicaid expansion. But the governor an ardent Obamacare opponent has repeatedly said that expanding Medicaid would just be too expensive, claiming it would cost the state $26 billion over the next 10 years.
As Health News Florida reports, however, that figure from Floridas Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is inflated because it doesnt take into account the full amount that the federal government will reimburse states for choosing to expand Medicaid. A more accurate analysis found that expansion would cost the state around $1 billion:
According to the email chain that Health News Florida obtained, state officials began calling the AHCAs $26 billion cost estimate into question as early as December 20. One member of the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee even pointed out that, since the health reform law specifies that the federal government will help fund Obamacares Medicaid expansion, it would actually break Florida state law to expand Medicaid without using the federal dollars mandated for that purpose.
- more -
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/01/08/1413281/rick-scott-medicaid-estimate/
By Tara Culp-Ressler
Internal email messages uncovered by Health News Florida reveal that Gov. Rick Scott (R-FL) is knowingly citing inaccurate cost estimates to justify his refusal to expand Floridas Medicaid program. Though the governors office is fully aware that the numbers are wrong, Scott continues to use them anyway, the documents show.
Florida, which has one of the highest rates of uninsurance in the nation, could extend health coverage to about one million low-income residents by accepting Obamacares optional Medicaid expansion. But the governor an ardent Obamacare opponent has repeatedly said that expanding Medicaid would just be too expensive, claiming it would cost the state $26 billion over the next 10 years.
As Health News Florida reports, however, that figure from Floridas Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) is inflated because it doesnt take into account the full amount that the federal government will reimburse states for choosing to expand Medicaid. A more accurate analysis found that expansion would cost the state around $1 billion:
But those numbers are based on a flawed report, state budget analysts say. A series of e-mails obtained by Health News Florida shows the analysts warned Scotts office the numbers were wrong weeks ago, but he is still using them. <...>
The Act says the federal government will pay the lions share of the cost for new Medicaid eligibles if a state agrees to expand its program a decision the Supreme Court left up to the states. The federal contribution for the new eligibles would be 100 percent between 2014 and 2016, then would taper after that to 90 percent by 2020 and stay there.
But the AHCA report assumes the federal match for the new patients would be much lower, about 58 percent. It came up with that by averaging the match amount over the past 20 years. The report doesnt say why the authors made that assumption. <...>
As Health News Florida reported on Dec. 21, the AHCA estimates were huge in comparison to a study released by the Urban Institute and Kaiser Family Foundation, two neutral research groups that specialize in Medicaid studies. Their study estimated that if Florida agreed to expand Medicaid, about 1 million uninsured people would gain coverage at a 10-year cost to the state of around $1 billion.
According to the email chain that Health News Florida obtained, state officials began calling the AHCAs $26 billion cost estimate into question as early as December 20. One member of the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee even pointed out that, since the health reform law specifies that the federal government will help fund Obamacares Medicaid expansion, it would actually break Florida state law to expand Medicaid without using the federal dollars mandated for that purpose.
- more -
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/01/08/1413281/rick-scott-medicaid-estimate/
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Florida Governor Inflates Cost Of Medicaid Expansion By 2,600% To Avoid Implementing Obamacare (Original Post)
ProSense
Jan 2013
OP
Scuba
(53,475 posts)1. OMG, this means that Rick Scott is dishonest.
But then we already knew that.
SugarShack
(1,635 posts)2. Rick Scott is the most criminal being in office today. He stole 4billion from Medicare, took the 5th
75 times!!!!
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,189 posts)3. Rick Scott. Medicare. Fraud.
Why do those words seem like they'd be naturally related?
arthritisR_US
(7,291 posts)4. Wow, a republicon to exaggerate and lie ...who'd a
thunk it
ProSense
(116,464 posts)5. I bet that's no comfort to Floridians. n/t
Michigan Alum
(335 posts)6. I hope this gets blasted across Florida and not just by the Miami Herald.
I don't think he has a chance of being re-elected especially if Charlie Crist runs against him.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)7. His approval is down to 23 percent
arthritisR_US
(7,291 posts)8. When is their next election for Govenor? n/t
ProSense
(116,464 posts)9. 2014. n/t
arthritisR_US
(7,291 posts)11. Not soon enough
arthritisR_US
(7,291 posts)10. I sure hope not but then I never thought Rick Scott would survive
lib2DaBone
(8,124 posts)12. If any one knows more about ripping off medicare.....
.. it has to be the one-and- only pRick Scott. (Take a bow pRick)
Yes, that Koch Bros foot-soldier is well versed in ripping off medicare...
When it comes to Medicare Rip Off.. pRick Scott is the leader.