Gov. Rick Perry is visiting West Palm Beach today to take part in roundtable discussion with Florida Gov. Rick Scott at what is being called the Palm Beach Strategic Forum.
Perry's office indicated that he is in the state to discuss his ideas about economic development, but the topic of Medicaid expansion is certainly a possibility.
Texas Medical Association’s President Michael Spear said that much is encouraging:
"There is a willingness to talk about what to talk about. That’s progress, I think it can be done. It’s been done in Arkansas, Arizona and Florida," Spear said.
Like Perry, Scott had similar reservations about a federal Medicaid expansion plan, but later decided that their state could benefit from accepting the money. Spear said the only problem right now is the rate of progress on deciding what to do.
"The problem is we only have another 50 days to go and I’m not sure I see the governor calling a special session, but the fact that I don’t see any movement there makes me concern that we won’t occur this session," Spear said.
If state lawmakers are not able to find a way to get the federal money, an estimated 1.5 million uninsured Texans would remain without some type of coverage for another two years.
