AP: Florida overcomes GOP barriers to enroll uninsured
Florida overcomes GOP barriers to enroll uninsured
By KELLI KENNEDY
Associated Press
Published: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 at 3:10 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 26, 2014 at 3:10 p.m.
MIAMI Floridas Republican leaders have fought the Affordable Care Act at every turn, banning navigators from county health departments, offering no state dollars to boost outreach efforts to 3.5 million uninsured and leading the fight to repeal the law. Yet the state has emerged as a tale of what went right with President Barack Obamas health care overhaul.
More than 440,000 Florida residents had been enrolled through the federal marketplace through the end of February, putting Florida on pace to exceed the federal governments initial projections by the time enrollment closes March 31.
The numbers are impressive for a state where Republicans control the governors mansion and both houses of the Legislature. By comparison, Republican-leaning Texas has enrolled 295,000 through the federal site, even though its population is about a third larger than Floridas.
Floridas success is due partly to infrastructure created in the swing state by Democratic-affiliated groups during the last three presidential elections, along with continued investment by the Obama administration and nonprofit advocacy groups in the diverse state that will likely be competitive in Novembers midterm election.
http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20140326/WIRE/140329572/1040?Title=Florida-overcomes-GOP-barriers-to-enroll-uninsured-