Medicaid expansion

For a decade, Florida lawmakers have debated whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Advocates are trying to circumvent the legislature and take the issue directly to voters.

Florida is one of 10 states where the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid for low-income adults has not been implemented.

Since 2017, Medicaid expansion has been adopted in seven states where a question was placed directly on the ballot. But campaign leaders say that strategy may not work in Florida.

The county program uses a half-cent sales tax to pay for health care for thousands of residents earning up to 175% of the federal poverty level. But enrollment isn't as high as it could be.

A court decision last year makes it easier for low-income residents in Florida and other states that haven’t expanded Medicaid to make good-faith estimates of a pay increase, and there is no financial penalty if they don’t hit that figure.

States that haven't expanded Medicaid are also more likely to restrict access to abortion and other reproductive care. Advocates say that makes it even more important for residents to get health coverage.

Researchers are calling for policy changes to improve health equity. They say one way Florida can do that is by expanding Medicaid.

Millions are uninsured because 12 states, including Florida, have not accepted Medicaid expansion. Congressional Democrats want to offer coverage in the spending bill being debated, but competition to get into that package is fierce.

State Republican leaders have long rejected expanding eligibility for Medicaid, pointing in part to concerns about potential future costs.

The Trump administration has given states ways to restrict spending on the government insurance program for low-income Americans. A Biden administration would expand Medicaid coverage.

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A new report says as many as 2,776 older Floridians died prematurely between 2014 and 2017 because of the state’s failure to expand Medicaid, second only…