TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A Republican Senator is urging a health committee to find an alternative to Medicaid expansion "that we can say yes to" in Florida.
Sen. Aaron Bean wants to turn down roughly $51 billion in federal funds from the Affordable Care Act to offer coverage to roughly 1.1 million residents. Bean's plan would potentially rely on state dollars and cover about 600,000 people.
He told the Senate Health Policy Committee on Wednesday that the rest will qualify for subsidies under the state health exchange to purchase private insurance. Bean says he's exploring options for residents who are below the poverty line and are between the ages of 19 and 64.
Bean said he doesn't "want to create an entitlement nor do we want to become addicted to federal monies."
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