DeSantis continues to resist Medicaid expansion and oppose ACA benefits for Floridians

Last week marked the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) being signed into law by President Obama. Since the ACA took effect, millions of Floridians, many of whom may have been priced out of health insurance options, or denied coverage based on preexisting conditions, have been able to purchase affordable health insurance through the ACA’s marketplace. This includes yours truly who would not have health insurance at all without the ACA, as an independent contractor.

Despite the positive impact the ACA has had on Florida’s citizens, Ron DeSantis repeatedly voted to repeal the law while a member of Congress and has made staunch opposition to expanding access to affordable health insurance for Floridians a pillar of his time in Tallahassee. It’s especially fascinating given DeSantis efforts to be identified as a progressive-populist that advocates for working folks – but as his record on insurance and tort reform also demonstrates it’s a lot of talk and has given Donald Trump a lot of ammunition to hit DeSantis with – as Florida continues fail in many of the most important metrics that impact working people.

Trump’s attacks on DeSantis have been without mercy and caused a degree of awkwardness for myself and other as the former President has used some of our favorite liberal talking points and stats about Florida to hit the Governor on. But back to Health Care.

DeSantis has used his role as governor to keep Florida from expanding affordable health insurance for Floridians:

  • Under DeSantis, Florida ranks among the states with the highest health care prices and the most expensive out-of-pocket costs for patients. Despite this, DeSantis has refused to expand the state’s Medicaid program, making Florida only one of 10 that have yet to do so, which would allow access to affordable health insurance for hundreds of thousands of Floridians. 

DeSantis repeatedly voted to repeal the ACA, even though more Floridians get their health insurance through the marketplace than any other state in the country:

  • In Congress, DeSantis repeatedly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. 
  • More Floridians get their health care through the Affordable Care Act marketplace than any state in the country. In 2023, 3.2 million Floridians purchased their health insurance through the ACA, making Florida the number one state for ACA enrollments in the country.
  • The Affordable Care Act provides protections for 3.5 million Floridians with preexisting conditions. Without ACA protections, millions of Floridians would be at risk of being denied health insurance.

DeSantis record on Health Care is as extreme as imaginable. This is a problem for Floridians and Americans in general if he were to be nominated for President by the GOP.

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