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No Agreement Between Scott, Feds On Medicaid

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
Associated Press
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott says he and the Obama administration are still far apart on health care financing issues that have paralyzed the state's efforts to pass a new budget.

After meeting privately with federal Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell on Wednesday, Scott said the two "had a good conversation," but added, "we don't have resolution."

The governor wants the administration to extend $1 billion in low-income pool funds for hospitals that treat the poor and near-poor. But HHS says a more efficient way to make sure Florida hospitals get paid would be for the state to expand Medicaid under President Barack Obama's health care law.

The feds warned Florida more than a year ago that the special low-income pool funds were at risk.