_add-on item b)Add-On Item b)
Sponsored by: Commissioner Edmond
Commission Meeting: 4-21-15
RESOLUTION NO. _________________ 1
2
A Resolution supporting Medicaid expansion in Florida pursuant to the Patient 3
Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, urging the Florida Legislature to enact 4
legislation expanding Medicaid in Florida. 5
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WHEREAS, Medicaid expansion would provide nearly one million Florida residents access to 7
preventive and therapeutic health care services, improving health outcomes; and 8
WHEREAS, expanding Medicaid in Florida under the Affordable Care Act is made all the more 9
important by the fact that medical care providers will experience significant payment reductions from 10
Medicare and Medicaid over the next several years because of federal reductions in the Disproportionate 11
Share Hospital Program and Low-Income Pool Program; and 12
WHEREAS, the financial impact of not expanding would be felt at many Miami-Dade hospitals; 13
and 14
WHEREAS, the Baptist Hospital system, including South Miami Hospital, could lose as much as 15
$20 million a year in federal funding; and 16
WHEREAS, Larkin Hospital in South Miami could lose several million dollars a year in federal 17
funding; and 18
WHEREAS, Jackson Health System, including the Rosie Lee Wesley Health Center in South 19
Miami, could lose $570 million a year in federal funding; and 20
WHEREAS, other hospitals in Miami-Dade County, including the University of Miami Hospital, 21
Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Children's Hospital, could lose as much as a combined $200 million a 22
year in federal funding; and 23
WHEREAS, if Medicaid is expanded, Florida would receive approximately $5.2 billion in 24
federal funding in 2016; and 25
WHEREAS, Florida is a donor state to the federal government that sends more money in tax 26
revenue than it receives in benefits; and 27
WHEREAS, the 111th United States Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care 28
Act of 2010 ("Affordable Care Act") and on March 23, 2010, the President signed the bill into law; and 29
WHEREAS, one of the key components of the Affordable Care Act required states to expand 30
Medicaid to the minimum national eligibility threshold of 138 percent of the federal poverty level 31
effective January 1, 2014; and 32
WHEREAS, this provision, however, was not upheld by the United States Supreme Court, in 33
effect allowing states the option of whether or not to expand Medicaid; and 34
WHEREAS, with the expansion of Medicaid eligibility for adults was designed to serve as the 35
vehicle for covering low-income individuals; and 36
Add-On Item b)
Sponsored by: Commissioner Edmond
Commission Meeting: 4-21-15
Page 2 of 2
WHEREAS, under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government initially funds Medicaid 1
expansion at 100 percent for the first three years; and 2
WHEREAS, in Florida and other states, Medicaid had gaps in coverage for adults because 3
eligibility was restricted to specific categories of low-income individuals, such as children, pregnant 4
women, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities. In most states, including Florida, adults without 5
dependent children were ineligible for Medicaid, regardless of their income, and income limits for parents 6
were very low—often below half the poverty level; and 7
WHEREAS, enacting Medicaid expansion in Florida would fill the gap left by the United States 8
Supreme Court ruling and ensure access to improved medical care benefits for many hard-working 9
Floridians, including veterans, students, and working parents who are not otherwise eligible for Medicaid 10
or insurance through the Affordable Care Act. 11
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION 12
OF THE CITY OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA, THAT: 13
Section 1
. The City of South Miami supports Medicaid expansion to the Affordable Care Act 14
and urges the Florida Legislature to pass legislation expanding Medicaid in Florida. 15
Section 2. The City of South Miami directs the Clerk of the City to send a certified copy of this 16
resolution to the Senate President, House Speaker, and all municipalities of Miami-Dade County. 17
Section 3
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. Severability. If any section clause, sentence, or phrase of this resolution is for any 18
reason held invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, the holding shall not affect 19
the validity of the remaining portions of this resolution. 20
Section 4
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. Effective Date. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon adoption by 22
vote of the City Commission. 23
PASSED AND ADOPTED this ____ day of _____________, 2015. 25
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ATTEST: APPROVED: 28
29
30
_____________________ ______________________ 31
CITY CLERK MAYOR 32
33
READ AND APPROVED AS TO FORM, COMMISSION VOTE: 34
LANGUAGE, LEGALITY AND Mayor Stoddard: 35
EXECUTION THEREOF Vice Mayor Harris: 36
Commissioner Edmond: 37
_____________________________ Commissioner Liebman: 38
CITY ATTORNEY Commissioner Welsh: 39
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