TALHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – The fight continues at the state Capitol as Florida Democrats continue to push GOP majority to consider expanding Medicaid amid fears of federal cuts.
Over the years, state legislators have swayed concerns about Medicaid expansion and fundraising.
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In 2024, then Senate President Kathleen Pasidomo (R-Naples) shared in her opening remarks at the start of a legislative meeting that Medicaid expansion would not happen.
“We know that access to healthcare is important at every stage of our lives. Insurance doesn’t guarantee access even with Medicaid. We want to be clear, but we don’t intend to spend the 60 days related to the expansion of Medicaid,” Passidomo said. “I understand both arguments. There have been several debates over the past decade. The expansion of Medicaid doesn’t happen in Florida.”
A year later, Democrats still demand that the conversation continues.
“If you’re rooting for cutting Medicaid, you’re supporting the loss of money to help Floridians,” said Florida State Sen. Maxwell Frost (D-Orlando).
Democrats from D.C. and Sunshine state gathered at the Capitol to warn Floridians of possible federal cuts to Medicaid and urge Republican lawmakers to consider expanding the program, citing financial savings.
“We literally leave money on the table. $14 billion in taxes we bring back to Florida to expand Medicaid. $4 billion a year in federal funds that reduce our tax burden as a Floridian.
Joseph sponsors HB 1507. HB1507 aims to expand Medicaid and provide health insurance to 800,000 to 1,000,000 Floridians.
News Channel 8 on your side asked Florida Democrats how they responded to Republicans against the spread of Medicaid, and what they responded to citing cost concerns and tensions in the state budget.
“I think it’s fuzzy mathematics, because I’m looking at it, and this is the line they’ve been reciting over the years,” said minority leader Fentris Driskel (D-Tampa). “But what we know is that there are programs in this state that try to cover people in the gaps. If you expand Medicaid, you don’t have to pay for those programs and in fact save more savings in federal dollars than you would spend on taxes.”
But Capitol Hill’s Florida GOP leader says Democrats are spreading lies. Florida State Sen. Anna Paulina Luna (R-St. Petersburg) added that Republicans have not cut Medicaid.
“We haven’t cut anything. Are you stopping fraud, waste, abuse? Yes. But are we cutting the program? No,” Luna said.
Having struggled to navigate Florida’s healthcare system, Clearwater resident Andrea Dumara shared her fears about Floridians trapped in the gaps in Medicaid coverage.
“Now we are enslaved to the disorders we have. I know I’m with traumatic brain and spinal cord surgery from a car accident,” Dumara said.
She is 1373 Bucking House Building. This allows disabled Floridians to purchase from Medicaid by gaps and disabled Floridians.
“When we pass this bill, we get a sense of normalcy that we don’t normally have,” Dumara said.
Republican state leaders are also considering Medicaid surveillance workgroups to look into policy decisions.
