In May, as part of the process of implementing the Affordable Care Act, Florida had the chance to extend health coverage to 1.2 million residents by accepting $51 billion in federal funds and expanding Medicaid. While Rick Scott -- a noted Obama hater -- surprisingly embraced the move, Republicans in the state House of Representatives shot it down.
What are the shunted -- and still uninsured -- residents to do? Storm the Broward County Governmental Center (115 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale).
More than 100 Miami-Dade and Broward county residents are expected to attend a town hall meeting tonight to discuss what's next. The conference, put together by the Broward County Legislative Delegation and promoted by the SEIU, will begin promptly at 6 p.m. and conclude two hours later.
"I'm just glad that my elected officials are putting on this forum to give us a a chance to keep the conversation going," said Robert Ettinger, an unemployed resident of Fort Lauderdale who is struggling to attain affordable health care.
As things stand, some uninsured will be eligible for subsidized private health care when Obamacare is fully implemented, but many more will continue to rely on emergency rooms and public health programs, a move that could cost states billions, according to a report by the Rand Corp.
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