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BY JOHN DORSCHNER
JDORSCHNER@MIAMIHERALD.COM
While Gov. Rick Scott has made news by rejecting several grants funded by the federal healthcare reform act, a study by an independent nonprofit group finds that Florida organizations have quietly received $119.6 million in reform act funds over the last two years.
Using federal data, the National Conference of State Legislatures has compiled a report that shows Florida state agencies, universities, hospitals, public clinics — even faith-based private groups such as Tallahassee-based Live the Life Ministries — received funds from the Affordable Care Act in 2010 and 2011 for everything from clinic expansion to abstinence lectures.
This has happened while Florida has been a leading state in a lawsuit alleging that the Obama administration act is unconstitutional. What’s more, NCSL reports Florida is one of three states planning to ask voters next fall to consider a constitutional amendment to declare illegal key provisions of the reform act — a stance that could lead to a state-federal court battle if the amendment were to win approval.
Scott, former leader of the HCA hospital chain, has been highly vocal in opposing the reform act, passed by Congress in 2010 with its most important provisions scheduled to start in 2014.
