The Florida Senate has proposed a budget plan for health and human services that includes $2.8 billion in federal monies for its version of Medicaid expansion, called the Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange Program, or FHIX, according to The Tampa Tribune.
The budget proposal also includes $2.2 billion — a mix of federal and state money — for the Low Income Pool, or LIP, part of which pays hospitals back for providing care to uninsured patients who can't afford to pay, according to the report.
"If we don't get LIP and we don't do something about Medicaid (expansion), I believe some hospitals around the state will have to shut their doors or close programs," Sen. Rene Garcia, (R-Hialeah) said in the report. "This is a serious issue and we need to address it."
Budget negotiations between the House and Senate are expected to take place next month.
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