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Lawmakers denied healthcare expansion that could have insured hundreds of thousands of Floridians lacking health insurance. As Matt Galka tells us, a majority of their own insurance plans are taxpayer funded – even though many cited that expanded healthcare would create a taxpayer funded entitlement program.

Many House Republicans said that expanding Medicaid in the state meant taxpayers would be on the hook for insurance costs for the poor. Some state legislators tried to point out that Floridians are already paying for lawmakers health coverage.

“Before you condemn this plan, remember that this body has, for years, enjoyed a Cadillac healthcare plan that is heavily subsidized by the citizens of Florida,” said New Port Richey Democrat Amanda Murphy on the House Floor last Friday.

145 out of the 160 members in the legislature are enrolled in the state’s health plan. The insurance plan costs $22,000 dollars a year. Lawmakers pay $180 bucks a month for a family or $50 bucks a month for individual coverage. The average Floridian pays around $1300 bucks for a family premium. Ray Pilon was one of a few Republicans that voted yes for expansion.

“For my constituents I can answer it very simply. I think we oughta pay the same exact price as every other Florida employee and that those rates should be appropriate,” said the Sarasota Republican.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Shalimar) voted no.

“We work here as state representatives and part of our compensation is healthcare, frankly I think that the healthcare we receive is too good,” he said.

Governor Rick Scott proposed increasing state employee health insurance rates for the past 5 years.  Lawmakers keep rejecting it.

Up until last year, Florida House members had only been paying $8 bucks a month for an individual plan and $30 bucks a month for a family plan.