Fla. Gov.: We won't comply with health care law

[JCMach1]

Source: Gainesville Sun

Florida Gov. Rick Scott now says Florida will do nothing to comply with President Barack Obama's health care overhaul and will not expand its Medicaid program. The announcement is a marked changed after the governor recently said he would follow the law if it were upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

"Florida is not going to implement Obamacare. We are not going to expand Medicaid and we're not going to implement exchanges," Scott's spokesman Lane Wright told The Associated Press on Saturday. Wright stressed that the governor would work to make sure the law is repealed.

Scott told Fox News the Medicaid expansion would cost Florida taxpayers $1.9 billion a year, but it's unclear how he arrived at that figure...




Read more: http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120630/WIRE/120639980/1139?Title=Fla-Gov-We-won-t-comply-with-health-care-law-

---

Gov. Voldemort strikes again.

[Lochloosa]

1. I hate this man from the depths of my soul. He's not even a Floridian...fucking transplant.

[JCMach1]

3. tell me about it...

frakking a$$hat, frakking up the state...

[razorman]

7. I guess I can't fault him for being a transplant. For one thing,

no one in Florida actually seems to be from there. Also, if we condemn a politician for being a transplant, we would have to curse Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and a host of others who have held office in an adopted state. If it is a problem, the states can pass residency requirements for officeholders. Let's despise him for what he's doing, not where he's from.

[Lochloosa]

33. Point taken. I am a Floridian, born and raised.

[razorman]

83. Oh, you're the one. :) Happy Independence Day.

[enough]

2. And the populace will cheer him on. (nt)

[UncleTomsEvilBrother]

28. Won't Matter

I was thinking the same thing. This man can do exactly what he wants in the state of FL. The DEM party in the state is rather weak, and the FL electorate is rather....umm...uninformed. Not a good combination.

[russspeakeasy]

4. This guy is a real dick. He helped steal $ billions from medicare

and medicaid. His company was fined $1 billion while he was the CEO. A total waste of skin.

[underpants]

87. Exactly

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2010/06/rick-scotts-role-in-columbiahca-scandal.html

However, federal investigators found that Scott took part in business practices at Columbia/HCA that were later found to be illegal -- specifically, that Scott and other executives offered financial incentives to doctors in exchange for patient referrals, in violation of federal law, according to lawsuits the Justice Department filed against the company in 2001.

The doctor payments were among 10 different kinds of fraud identified by the Justice Department in its 10-year probe of the company, records show. Three years after Scott left Columbia/HCA, the company admitted wrongdoing, pleading guilty to 14 felonies -- most committed during Scott's tenure -- in addition to paying two sets of fines totaling $1.7 billion...

Maybe this is where he got the $1.9 Billion from?

[russspeakeasy]

89. Or he was filling out his expense report.

[Grassy Knoll]

5. Fox news must be looking for a bad actor.....

er, I mean Bald anchor.

[DMNinFL]

6. So......what happens

if you live in Florida, have NO money, and NO health insurance????

[DisgustipatedinCA]

13. The Federal Government will step in to administer ALL of the program

That provision is a part of the law, should any governor be politically suicidal enough to refuse to participate. Governor Scott will see plenty of 72-point headlines about him totally ceding a states rights issue to the federal government. Florida will also be out many billions of dollars that its neighbors will receive, and believe it or not, his approval rating will go even lower. This is nothing more than the bluster of a sore loser.

[SammyWinstonJack]

45. Look for Gov. Goodhair to follow in Gov. Scott's footsteps.

I'm trying to get the hell outta Tx asap!

[dixiegrrrrl]

50. Jindal of Louisiana said same thing, won't allow "Obamacare".

Wonder when our Gov in Ala. will join the crazy chorus?

[eomer]

56. Not the Medicaid part, if I understand correctly.

The federal government will provide the exchange for buying private insurance but not the Medicaid expansion - that part will not happen if Florida doesn't do it. People just above the current Medicaid limits will suffer the result.

[NJCher]

65. republicans sure know how to make it tough on themselves

Governor Scott will see plenty of 72-point headlines about him totally ceding a states rights issue to the federal government.

That's great! RW-knickers will be in such a knot.

Thanks for that, Disgustipated. I had no idea that they factored that in, but when you think about it, if it survived a SC ruling, is it any surprised that they thought this eventuality through, too?

I don't like this law--it's useless for me personally--but I am loving the Bitter Pill Swallowing theatrics.


Cher

[wordpix]

34. it's the Republics' plan: let them sleep in cars in hot parking lots

Who wants to ensure these families have a decent place to live and food, too?

[darkangel218]

85. Yup

either that or we move elsewhere. Scott is a dick, excuse my language. Everytime I see his psychotic face I wanna puke.

[marmar]

8. Of all the Republican governors elected in the Koch-engineered coup, it's quite possible.....

...... that Scott is the most vile.

[RKP5637]

27. Don't discount Brownback, gov. of Kansas, home of the Kochs. n/t

[The Jungle 1]

9. Treason

Treason
He is sworn to obey the law.

We need to call him on it. He is a treasonous scum. Put it in his face.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. No it is not

The law allows such choices. They are dumb ones, and the state will be hurt by them.

Your passion is great, but the hyperbole actually hurts our credibility

[Woody Woodpecker]

64. How about sedition

Has Gov. Voldemort committed sedition by denying basic health care to his constitutents?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

72. Probably not. It is an option expressly given to the states in the law.

It is an option expressly given to the states in the law.

Regardless, they should toss his butt out at the earliest opportunity

[thecrow]

79. However, a facebook "friend" who is calling for a "hostile takeover" is probably being seditious.

Now she is a FORMER "friend".

[obxhead]

10. That might be half good news for FL.

It is up to each state to choose to implement their own exchange program. His refusal will just let the Federal Gov run the exchange on the FL taxpayers dime. Chances are it will run better than whatever he and his minions would put together. There will still be a FL exchange program in place in the end.

As for the expanded medicaid he's shooting himself (and FL taxpayers) in the foot. Expanding the medicaid coverage would flood federal money into the Medicaid/care coffers in FL and actually help the state out.

[former9thward]

15. It will not be run on the FL taxpayers dime.

It will be run on the dime of U.S. taxpayers.

[obxhead]

46. That's not how I understand the law.

I could be wrong, but from what I understand each state will set up and pay for the exchange program. If any state chooses not to set up or fails to set up a working exchange within the specified timeframe the federal gov will come in and operate the exchange for the state at the cost of the state.

Again, I'm not the most informed person on the ACA law, but this is my understanding of the process as it is currently set. Each state WILL have an exchange, paid for by the state (probably with federal benefits) and that exchange will either be operated by the state or the feds if the state refuses.

[Roland99]

82. Isn't that Federal money only for the first 3 years?

[Dalai_1]

11. I just read about Scott in Wiki

How on earth does this guy keep his job? I am surprised he has not been impeached....with his history
it is amazing he got elected in the first place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Scott

[Auntie Bush]

22. He was voted in by all those low information voters in central FL and the panhandle.

Idiots vote against their own interests again. I frankly don't see how they could not want healthcare. Maybe their just so stupid and shortsighted...they don't realize they might get sick some day because the lord will protect them.

[RKP5637]

29. Stupidity. Many Americans are damn proud of how stupid they are. You can't take

away my stupidity.

[wordpix]

36. "He also left owning 10 million shares of stock worth over $350 million" after being forced from job

Engage in Medicare fraud and you become a billionaire. Whatta country.

[immoderate]

37. North Florida is Alabama with dental implants.

Not smart.

--imm

[Loge23]

41. He brought the election.

The margin of "victory" was razor thin - especially considering that psycho Scott outspent Alex Sink by about 70 million dollars.
Unfortunately for the state, there are - as others have pointed out here - many uninformed voters that fell for psycho's BS about jobs.
So far, he has cost the state billions in high-speed rail money and long term high-paying jobs, and now he will punish the most neediest Floridians purely out his greed and spite.
He's beyond awful - he's an evil, criminal bastard who knows no human decency.

[flamingdem]

55. Was there any indication of vote fraud?

Seems possible

[demwing]

47. To impeach Voldemort he must be convicted of a misdemeanor or worse

Violation of the Civil Rights Act of 64 might do it, which is a secondary reason why Scott's voter purge is such a critical issue here. If it's a violation, we can toss the fucker, BUT to do so requires a 2/3 vote in the Florida House, and that ain't gonna happen.

He's up for re-election in 2014. One can only hope that the least popular Gov in the country can't get re-elected, not even in Florida. One can also hope that Scott spends his last two years tied up in lawsuits over the purge, and gets absolutely nothing else done.

[NJCher]

68. i was shocked

When I read the Wiki entry on him, and consider I've been around a good many years here. He is the evil republican's republican.

[Iliyah]

14. Excepting medicaid expansion

would cost NOTHING for the 1st 3 years, the government would cover 90% following up to I believe 2018 and 50% thereafter and by that time, 100% of Americans should be covered by some type of health care with cost afforable for people who can afford coverage. Medicaid basically covers the poor and people who can't afford health coverage, i.e., losing your job.

What these GOP governors are doing is in my opinion equals to DEATH PANELS. Just read where the PA governor just allowed 89,000 children to suffer by not continuing health care coverage. Texas is willing to take 130,000 families from Medicaid, and the numbers are continuing.

The GOP don't care about the average Americans and don't care about lying to them. There is no tax increase, but these Godless goppers don't give shit.

[RKP5637]

30. The GOP is the party of sociopaths! They feel nothing, they just don't

F'en care. They just don't care, they have no feelings. Why anyone expects a bunch of sociopaths to feel for them is beyond me.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. "but it's unclear how he arrived at that figure... "

And the lazy-ass media refuse to even bother fact-checking and correcting. They let the comment slide as if it were true.

[csziggy]

51. pRick Scott has lied about figures before so the media doesn't even bother

He lied about what the high speed rail would cost the state when he turned down the stimulus funds to finance is - especially the figures on how many jobs the construction, operation and maintenance would provide not to mention the tourists who would be more likely to visit more places across the center of the state with that transportation option.

He lied about other projects and jobs other stimulus funds would help with and then blamed Obama for the loss of state and local government jobs.

Scott can't help it - he's a serial liar.

[judesedit]

17. He stole the election with his bling bling now he's stealing your healthcare

What does Rick Scott care. You're already paying for his top-of-the-line policy. He's got no worries. And pay his share in taxes...you've got to be kidding. He wants to pay even less. Just give it time. What goes around comes around. Boy, is Scott a loser name or what???

[Historic NY]

18. Can't we just give them back to Spain...they don't seem to want to be part of the US...

first voters rights and now this....

[djean111]

20. Please don't use "them" or "they"....

I live in Florida, I voted for Alex Sink, and I have no say in what Scott does.
Don't generalise by geographic area, it makes your rhetoric sound silly and shallow.

[Doctor_J]

25. So you're admitting defeat

you claim there is nothing to be done. Is that really true?

[djean111]

32. Are you talkin' to me?

I want to try and get Scott out of office, not be "sold back to Spain" or whatever.
I just resent Florida being referred to as a big homogenous red lump. Sounds like Freeper logic.
Sorry for the oxymoron.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

74. As a fellow Floridian, thank you.

Plenty of things I could say about the poster's home state of New York, but that would be just as wrong.

[kdmorris]

57. Seriously... aren't we past the

"give them back to Spain" crap? Anytime someone says that (about Texas or South Carolina or Florida) - it nullifies the hard work that WE do. WE are not all Freepers and it's seriously demotivating to have people act like we are.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

75. Here, here.

Besides, for every "red" state (although Florida is more "purple" demographically) that has hard working liberals in its minority, let's not forget the "blue" states that have some uber-conservatives popping up and contributing their own embarassment to the national scene (thinking Bachmann in Minnesota, Guliani in New York, Issa in California, Christie in New Jersey, etc.)

Every state has the potential to bring forward a few fuck-ups capable of bringing their state shame, not just the so-called "red" ones.

[rhett o rick]

19. No Federal funds for Florida. nm

[EFerrari]

21. This is the same thing they did with the bail out, then they took the money anyway. n/t

[RKP5637]

31. It's the republican game. Make a lot of noise at the front door and

take the check at the back door. Just like when they accepted fed money during the recession and made it look like it came from others. Bobby Jindal comes to mind.

[4th law of robotics]

23. Pretty sure you will

once the money gets cut off there's going to be a lot of pressure to STFU and take the money.

[Canopus]

24. How he arrived at the figure...it looks like he just added 2 zeroes to the state's population...

shrug

[RKP5637]

26. Straight from the asshole's mouth! n/t

[mrmpa]

35. When any and or all of these Republican governors.............

refuse to follow and abide by Federal Law, can they be arrested, charged with any crime? There must be a way other than recall or impeachment to rid these states of these governors.

[24601]

39. The law does not require them to do anything. The law also allows future administrations to exempt

states the way HHS has already granted waivers (http://hr.cch.com/news/benefits/020811.asp). And a future President could issue an executive order to the IRS to not enforce any penalty - chalk it up the precedent of executive discretion regarding prosecutions.

Just as Brown v. Board of Education or Roe v. Wade weren't the last cases for those issues, this week's wasn't either There are many more procedural fights ahead that will provide gainful employment for current & future attorneys.

[lovuian]

38. I want the Republicans to self destruct and they are doing it

Do they believe people don't get sick ?


The Republicans hatred for this will be their BIGGEST LOST ever seen in a election
the Democrats will we take the House

[Doctor_J]

42. no, they aren't

you & the rest of the DUers who keep saying this are a part of the problem. the farther from the mainstream they move, the more hate radio cheers for them. this isn't going away until someone stands up to them. Your argument is akin to saying that a bully beating up little kids will just eventually stop. It's preposterous.

[cstanleytech]

40. "it's unclear how he arrived at that figure" Pulled it out of his ass? But wouldnt that be

difficult for him to accomplish with his head in the way?

[Doctor_J]

43. All of FL's federal money should be cut off tomorrow

no border patrol, no money for any of the military folks in Pennsacola, no National Weather Service - nothing. These bullies will not stop until someone stands up to them.

[Doctor_J]

44. WH response we won't hear

"Given the fact that rick Scott stole millions of taxpayer dollars via Medicare fraud not that long ago, we are glad to hear he won't be taking any more federal money, as we're pretty sure he wouldn't be using it to help Floridians anyway. Any Medicare recipients in FL should contact Mr. Scott when their checks don't arrive next week."

[cstanleytech]

52. When did medicare recipients begin to recieve checks? nt

[Doctor_J]

53. Oops. Meant SS

[cstanleytech]

59. To bad as if this had been about SS you would have had a slam dunk, oh well. nt

[wordpix]

69. actually, Medicare recipients do get checks sometimes, e.g. if patient pays full amount for care,

Medicare will reimburse its share. Usually, that's about half the cost as far as I can tell.

[cstanleytech]

71. They werent talking about that though. nt

[PatrynXX]

48. Irony of Ironies...

Montana refused to follow Citizen's United and is ... hey if Rick Scott can refuse to recognize the Supreme Court (and another state by banning abortion. ) theoretically Montana can still refuse to listen to the Supreme Court since the Republicans are doing it on 2 fronts.

So thanks to Republicans and their Anarchists. this is gonna get bad

[tawadi]

49. No surprise to me. eom

[JDPriestly]

54. A lot of Floridians are seniors on Medicare, I should think.

[GeorgeGist]

58. I sincerely hope ...

Republicans are digging their grave.

[Ter]

60. Any chance this will lead to Civil War II?

Several governors have said the same thing.

[Great Caesars Ghost]

61. Don't know

But may be part of the reason..

[Doctor_J]

67. no, because no one will ever fight them

that's why Holder should have them placed in handcuffs. Provide some sort of deterrent

[Great Caesars Ghost]

62. Will the fed send in federal marshalls?

[onenote]

73. No, because what he's doing is perfectly legal under the ACA

I think it stinks whenever a state elects not to implement the ACA exchange provision or to accept the expansion of Medicaid, but the fact is that the ACA expressly allows states to opt out of setting up exchanges (leaving it to the federal government to do it for the state) and as upheld by the SCOTUS, states are allowed to opt out of the medicaid expansion.

[Woody Woodpecker]

63. Fine. I hope Gov. Voldemort is in prison by the time the election rolls around

after DoJ indicts him for RICO, HAVA, and many election-related fraudulent behavior and the judge acknowledge Voldemort's stupidity as guilty as hell, and sentence him to 2,000 years of hard labor and no funds.

[DeSwiss]

66. Here's what ScottiCare looks like:

- K&R

[wordpix]

70. very good! And I like "Scotticare"

[Generic Other]

76. Does this mean Floridians can't

get insurance if they have pre-existing conditions? Or they can't keep their kids on the insurance until they are 26?

If they refuse, won't they simply deny their citizens what everyone else will get?

[LaurenG]

77. Idle threats. These are far right republicans

and they belong to the tea baggers. I wonder if they'll understand that the kind of people we see them to be would only look good on a resume for someone applying for a job in hell.

[Firebrand Gary]

78. Governor Scott, Are we surprised? It's not like you complied with the law prior! nt

[kestrel91316]

80. The federal government will impose ACA on FL. Unless the state wishes to secede.

Federal courts will issue orders and they WILL comply.

[regnaD kciN]

81. Is he going to resist...

...by blocking a hospital door?

[permatex]

84. Simple solution

vote this asswipe out and elect a progressive dem who will implement the ACA.

[Daniel537]

86. Not the least bit surprising.

As bad a candidate as Sink was, i voted for her because i knew this was the type of crap we were going to get from Scott. I'm beginning to think the SCOTUS ruling on Medicaid may actually end up helping the poor in this state, because i think if faced with the choice of expanding coverage or scrapping Medicaid altogether, Scott would have probably chosen the latter, and as hard as it is to get Medicaid in Florida as it is, its better than nothing. Hopefully if the Dems take back congress in Nov. they can pass a law to deal with this issue, otherwise the poor will continue to be at the mercy of the Fl. GOP.

[underpants]

88. $1.9 Billion? -- maybe he was thinking of $1.7 Billion

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2010/06/rick-scotts-role-in-columbiahca-scandal.html

However, federal investigators found that Scott took part in business practices at Columbia/HCA that were later found to be illegal -- specifically, that Scott and other executives offered financial incentives to doctors in exchange for patient referrals, in violation of federal law, according to lawsuits the Justice Department filed against the company in 2001.

The doctor payments were among 10 different kinds of fraud identified by the Justice Department in its 10-year probe of the company, records show. Three years after Scott left Columbia/HCA, the company admitted wrongdoing, pleading guilty to 14 felonies -- most committed during Scott's tenure -- in addition to paying two sets of fines totaling $1.7 billion...

Maybe this is where he got the $1.9 Billion from?