States Opting Out of Medicaid Expansion Could Leave Many Uninsured
Now that the Supreme Court has given the states more flexibility concerning what parts of the Affordable Care Act they must implement, more Republican governors are confirming they plan to “opt out” of a plan intended to give millions of poor Americans health coverage.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Sunday announced his state is opting out of an expansion of Medicaid, a joint federal-state health care program, now that the court will allow it to do so. Florida is also choosing not to build an “exchange,” the state-based health insurance marketplace every state is expected to establish by 2014.
“Floridians are interested in jobs and economic growth, a quality education for their children, and keeping the cost of living low,” Scott said in a statement. “Neither of these major provisions in ObamaCare will achieve those goals, and since Florida is legally allowed to opt out, that’s the right decision for our citizens.”
The office of South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley told the Charleston Post and Courier that the Palmetto State is similarly opting out of both programs. And over the weekend, Govs. Scott Walker of Wisconsin and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana also said they’re opting out.
Under the Affordable Care Act, states always had the choice to “opt out” of building an exchange. If they refuse to set up the health care marketplace, the Department of Health and Human Services will do it for them.