Medicaid expansion: it's a controversial issue that's already led to one political meltdown in Tallahassee, and now another could be looming.
Despite a month-long cooling-off period, the Republicans who control the state House and Senate look to be as divided as ever.
As the anti-expansion lower chamber stares down the pro-expansion upper chamber with a Medicaid special legislative session set to begin next week, stories of Florida's uninsured are peppering airwaves and social media. The stories are a dose of reality expansion -- advocates are hoping they can help cure the toxic political debate.
"It's very difficult," Vann Dennis says of being stuck in the so-called 'coverage gap'.
Dennis makes too much money to qualify for Medicaid yet doesn't make enough to be able to afford a private health insurance plan.
"Insurance is very, very expensive, and when you're trying to cover just yourself, even just covering yourself is very, very costly," Vann complains.
Under a new Medicaid expansion plan being floated by the state Senate, the 800,000 Floridians in the coverage gap would only be eligible for expanded Medicaid if they have a job or they're looking for one.
House Republican leaders are so far lukewarm to the proposal, and Gov. Rick Scott, who's flip-flopped on Medicaid expansion and now opposes it, says the plan amounts to a $5 billion tax on Floridians. That's despite the fact expansion would give the state $51 billion in federal funding.