Res No 066-15-14405RESOLUTION NO.066-15-14405
A Resolution supporting Medicaid expansion in Florida pursuant to the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010,urging the Florida Legislature to enact
legislation expanding Medicaid in Florida.
WHEREAS,Medicaid expansion would provide nearly one million Florida residentsaccess to
preventive and therapeutic health care services,improving health outcomes;and
WHEREAS,expanding Medicaid in Florida under the Affordable CareActismadeallthemore
important bythefact that medical care providers will experience significant payment reductions from
Medicare and Medicaid over the next several years because of federal reductions inthe Disproportionate
Share Hospital Program and Low-Income Pool Program;and
WHEREAS,the financial impact of not expanding would befeltatmany Miami-Dade hospitals;
and
WHEREAS,the Baptist Hospitalsystem,includingSouthMiami Hospital,couldloseasmuchas
$20 million a year infederalfunding;and
WHEREAS,Larkin Hospital inSouthMiamicouldlose several million dollarsayearinfederal
funding;and
WHEREAS,Jackson Health System,including theRosieLee Wesley Health Center inSouth
Miami,couldlose$570millionayearinfederalfunding;and
WHEREAS,otherhospitalsin Miami-Dade County,includingtheUniversityofMiamiHospital,
MountSinaiMedicalCenter,andChildren'sHospital,couldloseasmuchasacombined$200milliona
year infederal funding;and
WHEREAS,ifMedicaidisexpanded,Floridawouldreceiveapproximately$5.2billionin
federalfundingin 2016;and
WHEREAS,Floridaisadonorstatetothefederalgovernmentthatsendsmoremoneyintax
revenue than it receives in benefits;and
WHEREAS,the 111th UnitedStatesCongresspassedthePatientProtectionandAffordableCare
Actof 2010 ("Affordable CareAct")andonMarch23,2010,thePresidentsignedthebillintolaw;and
WHEREAS,oneofthekey components ofthe Affordable CareAct required statesto expand
Medicaid tothe minimum national eligibility threshold of 138 percent ofthe federal poverty level
effective January 1,2014;and
WHEREAS,this provision,however,wasnot upheld bytheUnited States Supreme Court,in
effectallowingstatestheoptionofwhetherornottoexpand Medicaid;and
WHEREAS,withthe expansion of Medicaid eligibility for adults was designed to serve asthe
vehiclefor covering low-income individuals;and
Res.No.066-15-14405
WHEREAS,under the Affordable CareAct,the federal government initially funds Medicaid
expansionat 100 percentforthefirstthreeyears;and
WHEREAS,in Florida and other states,Medicaid hadgapsin coverage foradults because
eligibilitywasrestrictedtospecificcategories of low-incomeindividuals,suchaschildren,pregnant
women,theelderly,orindividualswithdisabilities.Inmoststates,including Florida,adultswithout
dependentchildrenwereineligibleforMedicaid,regardless of theirincome,andincomelimitsforparents
were very low—often below half the poverty level;and
WHEREAS,enacting Medicaid expansioninFloridawouldfillthegapleftbytheUnitedStates
SupremeCourtrulingandensureaccesstoimprovedmedicalcarebenefitsformanyhard-working
Floridians,including veterans,students,andworkingparentswhoarenot otherwise eligibleforMedicaid
or insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION
OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI,FLORIDA,THAT:
Section 1.The City of South Miami supports Medicaid expansion tothe Affordable CareAct
andurgesthe Florida Legislature topass legislation expanding Medicaid in Florida.
Section 2.TheCity of South Miami directs the Clerk of the City to send ar-oeriified copy of this
resolution to the Senate President,House Speaker,andall municipalities of Miami-Dade County.
Section 3.Severability.If any section clause,sentence,or phrase of this resolution isforany
reason held invalid or unconstitutional bya court of competent jurisdiction,the holding shallnotaffect
the validity of the remaining portions of this resolution.
Section 4.Effective Date.This resolution shall become effective immediately upon adoption by
vote of the City Commission.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 21s^lay of April
ATTEST:
ORM,
Page 2 of2
2015.
APPROVED:
COMMISSION VOTE:5-0
Mayor Stoddard:Yea
Vice Mayor Harris:Yea
Commissioner Edmond:Yea
Commissioner Liebman:Yea
Commissioner Welsh:Yea