Scott: Florida Unlikely to Expand Medicaid

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Rick Scott is now saying that it's unlikely that Florida will expand its Medicaid program in order to lower the number of uninsured residents.

The U.S. Supreme Court, while upholding the health care overhaul championed by President Barack Obama, ruled Thursday that Congress cannot withhold federal Medicaid funding from states that opt out of a requirement to expand coverage to those just above the poverty line.

During an interview with WOKV in Jacksonville Scott said the state won't be able to afford to cover additional people under the safety-net health care program even though the federal government is picking up most of the cost.

According to Census data released last year, Florida had the nation's third-highest rate of residents without health insurance during the past three years.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)