TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Despite being a fierce critic of the Affordable Care Act, Florida Governor Rick Scott isn’t saying where he stands on the Trump administration’s refusal to defend the federal law against the latest legal challenge brought by 20 Republican-led states, including Florida.
If the suit is successful, it would do away with key parts of the law that require insurance companies to sell health policies to people regardless of pre-existing conditions and prevents charging more because of the conditions.
Scott, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and other Republican leaders have consistently opposed the sweeping health care law, often referred to as Obamacare, that has helped lower the percentage of uninsured citizens in the state and nation.
Scott avoided directly discussing the litigation this week, but he says access to healthcare is important.
“I believe that if you have a pre-existing condition, you need to still be able to get health care," said Gov. Scott. "So it’s very important to me. I believe everybody ought to be able to get health care insurance.”
Florida’s uninsured rate in 2013, the year before Obamacare plans became available, was 20 percent and one of the highest in the nation.
In 2016, the rate was 12.5 percent. Florida also has consistently led the nation in the number of people who enroll in the federal health-insurance exchange under the law.
