U.S. Representative Kathy Castor wrote a letter to Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater regarding state legislative leaders’ request for federal money to avoid state budget cuts to health care for children, pregnant women and seniors. Click here to read the letter.
 

Florida Medicaid serves approximately 2.7 million children, pregnant women and seniors. The federal Medicaid match, known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP, is particularly important during an economic downturn when the state struggles to balance its budget.

Castor and the Florida Democratic Congressional delegation were successful in boosting Florida’s Medicaid match through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by providing the $4.3 Billion to the State of Florida earlier in the year. Now, Castor has included another substantial boost to the State of just under $1 billion in the Affordable Health Care for America Act that passed the U.S. House on Nov. 7.

As a member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, Castor was able to focus federal Medicaid increases to states such as Florida with high unemployment rates - resulting in one of the largest FMAP boosts in the country.

In the letter Castor advises President Atwater as follows:

 “I am very concerned about reports that the Florida Legislature may not have directed all of the $4.3 billion in FMAP that we fought so hard for to health care for children and others under Medicaid. As you can imagine, it might be difficult to maintain that Florida continues to need special dispensation, such as a revision of the FMAP formula, if the state does not use health care dollars for health care.”

Castor continued: “Any use of the federal Medicaid share outside of health care can put Florida and advocates like me in a very tough position, and could adversely affect federal assistance going forward. … I look forward to working with you to ensure that Florida’s health care safety net is not threatened and that families who rely on Medicaid continue to have access to quality, affordable health care.”