STATEMENT BY SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER OSCAR BRAYNON, II ON ARTILES CONTROVERSY

TALLAHASSEE – Senate Democratic Leader Chris Smith (D-Ft. Lauderdale) on Wednesday released the following statement on large businesses’ compliance deadline extension for avoiding penalties under the 2010 Affordable Care Act:
“In Florida, there has been overwhelming support by the business community for the expansion of Medicaid to comply with the new federal health care law. Along with the Florida Senate, and Democrats in both chambers, they realize that it’s the right thing to do.
“The new compliance deadline may have bought some recalcitrant CEOs more time to come to the same realization, but it does not diminish the need for Republican action in Florida.  The longer they wait to embrace using our federal tax dollars to pay for our residents’ health care, the greater the danger Floridians end up paying for someone else’s medical care in some other state. The longer they wait, the more tax payers are on the hook for expensive emergency room care because one million Floridians will remain without health insurance for yet another year.
“I urge the Governor and the Republican legislative leadership to not take this extra time for granted or use it as an excuse to avoid doing what’s right for the people of Florida.”