WASHINGTON, July 1 | Sunday 1 July 2012 9:36 pm EDT
WASHINGTON, July 1 (Reuters)-Florida not implements two provisions of U.S. healthcare law involving an expansion of Medicaid for the poor and the creation of an exchange of private insurance, Governor Rick Scott said Sunday.
Two other States with Republican Governors, Wisconsin and Louisiana, opted out of the two provisions last week in the wake of Supreme Court decision upholding the patient protection and Affordable Care Act.
The health law takes full effect in January 2014 and Republican lawmakers hope to repeal it before then. Florida will enforce the law if it remains in force, said Scott.
In a statement, the Governor said the health bill would not help economic growth in his State "and since Florida is legally allowed to opt-out, that is the right decision for our citizens".
Scott said expansion of Medicaid, which provides health care for the poor, would cost $1,90 billion, while the State has other health programs. Insurance exchange would increase premiums, he said.
If States do not create insurance exchanges, the Federal Government says that it will be established. The exchanges are designed to extend medical coverage for an additional 16 million people. The Kaiser Family Foundation says 17 States have made any significant progress toward an Exchange or rejected the idea. (Reported by Charles Abbott. Editing by Eric Walsh)
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