Florida Challenges Medicaid Spending 'By Force'

Source: NPR

Florida Challenges Medicaid Spending 'By Force'
by Greg Allen
March 19, 2012

When the Supreme Court hears arguments over President Obama's health care law this week, one item on the table will be a program that has been in place for nearly 50 years.

Medicaid, a joint federal-state program that provides health care for the poor, was signed into law by Lyndon Johnson. Under the Affordable Care Act, it will be greatly expanded and provide coverage for millions of uninsured, including low-income adults without children.

Opponents say the expansion is unconstitutional because it challenges states' authority and forces them to spend more. And in Florida and other states, there is already a lot about Medicaid that officials don't like.

Medicaid spending is one of the largest items in many states' budgets, and it has been growing especially fast since the recession began.


Read more: http://www.npr.org/2012/03/19/148696279/florida-challenges-medicaid-spending-by-force