Gov. Rick Scott
The uninsured working poor of Florida are now officially abandoned by their
Republican leaders. One Republican, state Sen. Joe Negron, had championed some form of Medicaid expansion for the state, and even got Gov. Rick Scott to halfheartedly endorse the idea. But now he's given up.
On Monday, new Senate Democratic Leader Arthenia Joyner of Tampa suggested Negron might lead another effort toward some kind of Medicaid expansion for the 2015 legislative session.
When asked directly Tuesday morning, Negron had a direct answer: "No." […]
Even new Senate President Andy Gardiner, an Orlando Republican, was dismissive of the proposition. He told reporters he’s already spoken about it with new House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, a Merritt Island Republican.
"The federal government has given us no flexibility at all ... it’s either all or nothing" when it comes to a straight Medicaid expansion, Gardiner said, suggesting the issue is dead until something changes.
It's hard to see what "something" that might be. Scott won re-election, there's nothing in it for him now to renew his feeble efforts. So more than 1 million Floridians are going to remain out of luck and out of health care, just out of spite.