Charlie Crist blames Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s Medicaid policy for ‘six deaths a day’
Source: Raw Story
By David Ferguson
Friday, February 7, 2014 12:33 EST
Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (D) said in an interview on Friday that the states current Tea Party Gov. Rick Scott (R) is to blame for the deaths of six Floridians every day due to his refusal to expand Medicaid.
Talking Points Memo reported that Crist, a former Republican, was talking to MSNBCs Chuck Todd when he made the allegation.
A key component of President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act (ACA) also known as Obamacare and the effort to provide health coverage to the countrys uninsured citizens is the expansion of state Medicaid programs. When the Supreme Court took up the question in 2013 as to the constitutionality of the ACA, Chief Justice John Roberts inserted a provision that would allow some states to opt out of the federal Medicaid funds available for states.
Some 23 Republican-led states have chosen not to accept the funds, including Florida. A joint study between researchers at Harvard University and and the City University of New York estimated that some 17,000 low-income adults will die as a direct result of the Republicans decision to not expand the health care program.
Crist said that six of those people die in Florida every day.
Todd was skeptical, asking Crist if that was what he really meant to say.
Wait a minute. So thats a tough allegation, he said. You are connecting youre saying people are dying, and its the fault of not expanding Medicaid?
Its not hard to figure that out. Its common sense, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate said. Look at it. If people are sick, and they arent getting health care, what happens? They usually get sicker. Or they die. I mean, those are just the facts, Chuck. Thats what happens. In addition to it, its economically stupid. As a result, were not getting $51 billion over the next 10 years for the health care institutions in Florida. So the people get better health care, so that kids dont get sick, that we take care of people. Thats what public servants are supposed to do. Thats why Im running against Rick Scott, because hes not a good servant.
Crist hopes to defeat Scott in the general election this fall. He is currently polling slightly ahead of Scott in pre-election surveys.
Watch video about this story, embedded below:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/07/charlie-crist-blames-florida-gov-rick-scotts-medicaid-policy-for-six-deaths-a-day/
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Full article posted with permission
Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/07/charlie-crist-blames-florida-gov-rick-scotts-medicaid-policy-for-six-deaths-a-day/
OKNancy
(41,832 posts)pretty much called him a crook
noiretextatique
(27,275 posts)a koch-backed crook.
stuffmatters
(2,574 posts)Last edited Sat Feb 8, 2014, 10:36 AM - Edit history (1)
Time to call out all these Repubs denying Medicaid expansion. Call them the Mass Murderers they are... blame these sociopathic Kochs, who're funding these Repug politicians and SCOTUS Roberts who enabled this genocide against the poor. Set up digital billboards across the country ... show a running tally of how many Americans murdered by the Republicans.
It's time to take off the gloves. Start calling this what it is, murder and genocide. Finally Charlie Crist, a New Dem of all people, is framing these Republican atrocities with vivid, undeniable accuracy. Notice that Chuck Todd was unable to dispute the truth of what Crist was saying.
Stuart G
(38,445 posts)The truth is that by refusing Medicaid expansion, people die.
Scott is killer, just to refute Obama, and some legislation that Obama passed to help people, Scott is responsible for the evil that goes with that stance.
This once sentence will be the discussion during this election. and Charlie Crist (D) is saying basically, bring it on...
freshwest
(53,661 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)onehandle
(51,122 posts)Orsino
(37,428 posts)See Crist pour himself into a Dem-shaped jello mold. I suppose that to catch a weasel like Scott, you may have to use a puddle of viscous goo.
http://washingtonindependent.com/80749/repeal-pledge-becomes-gop-litmus-test
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/charlie-crist-executes-sextuple-flip-flop-obamacare
http://www.msnbc.com/hardball/flipper-vs-flopper-florida
http://freebeacon.com/charlie-crist-shamelessly-attempts-to-explain-his-party-switch/