Congressman Joe Garcia Joins Medicaid Expansion Caucus
For Immediate Release: July 17th, 2014 Contact: Nicole Cueto (202) 480-7274
WASHINGTON, DC – In response to the lack of Medicaid expansion in various states, several members of Congress, including Congressman Joe Garcia, joined The State Medicaid Expansion Caucus. The group intends to highlight the need for recalcitrant states to do the right thing and expand Medicaid.
“When I hear stories from my district about hardworking men and women who cannot afford adequate coverage despite having a full time job, it shows that our neighbors, friends and community need the legislature to fix our state’s Medicare system, once and for all” exclaimed Garcia. “When people in South Florida, and around the state, need access to care, we cannot rely on emergency rooms serving as frontline health care providers for thousands of the uninsured, because our state neglected to expand this critical program.”
In the past, Governor Scott has publically supported health care expansion for those that fall into this gap. Yet, we are still waiting for both the Governor and the State Legislature to push for Florida to accept the $51 billion for health services offered by the federal government. Because of their inaction our taxpayer money is currently being spent on those in other states who have accepted these funds, rather than being spent on those greatly in need in our own state of Florida.
In Florida more than 760,000 citizens fall within the so called “coverage gap" – a category identifying uninsured residents who make too much to get Medicare or Medicaid, but make too little money to receive healthcare under the Affordable Care Act. There are almost 800,000 Floridians that need health coverage, yet the State Legislature has refused to take $51 billion of taxpayer dollars to support healthy families.
Creating and supporting healthy families is nothing new in Florida – Kidcare for instance does just that for those under 18. This is money that belongs to you, your family, friends and community. Anyone who wants to see Florida and our nation thrive should not be using their political position to deny hardworking Americans key benefits of the law or deny them the information needed to make informed choices. It is time for the State Legislature to take action.
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