Florida Health Advocates Speak Out about Possible Cuts to the Medicaid Disability Program and in Favor of Medicaid Expansion

Good morning, I’m Rob Lorei and this is Radioactivity.

Medicaid is health coverage set up to protect our most vulnerable citizens at any stage in their lives. 73 million people around the U.S. rely on Medicaid for their health coverage including millions of children, seniors and people with disabilities.

Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provide health coverage to nearly 4.4 million low-income children, pregnant women, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities in Florida. Medicaid is a major source of funding for safety-net hospitals and nursing homes.

In 2017, the FL legislature cut $600 million from Medicaid. They are currently seeking more cuts  and have explored “block granting”

• After almost a decade of steady improvement, the number of children without health insurance in Florida and the nation is on the rise again, according to a new report.
• The study, released today by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, found that nationally, the rate of uninsured children increased from 4.7% to 5.2% between 2016 and 2018. In Florida, the rate also increased, from 6.6% to 7.6%. (Source: Florida Public News Service)

There are a large number of people who are low income- below the poverty level and who do not qualify for Medicaid. Florida is one of several states that have not expanded Medicaid- as was called for under Obamacare. The number of children who have no health insurance is rising in Florida—now almost 8% of all children in Florida are not covered by health insurance. And disabled people with home based services are fighting to keep themselves independent and not confined to an institution.

We’re going to talk about access to health care for low income people, children and the disabled with two guests.

In 2017, the FL legislature cut $600 million from Medicaid. They are currently seeking more cuts.

• Our guests are:Scott Darious w/FLORIDA VOICES FOR HEALTHFMI: https://www.healthyfla.org/https://www.healthyfla.org/coalition-members

  Karen Clay who is a patient advocate and chair of the Democratic Disability Caucus of Florida

  FMI; https://www.facebook.com/FloridaDisabilityCaucus/