Nebraska, Florida contemplate elements of health law's Medicaid expansion

Supporters of Nebraska's effort to implement the health law's Medicaid expansion have signaled their willingness to include certain cost safeguards to advance the plan. Meanwhile, a new report finds savings for Florida taxpayers could result from a health law provision regarding federal funding for the "medically needy" and the expansion.   

The Associated Press: Medicaid Backers Will Add Safeguards To Bill
Supporters of a proposal to expand Medicaid in Nebraska said they're willing to include cost safeguards within the bill, including a mandatory review of the program if its expenses were to skyrocket and a possible requirement that the state withdraw if the federal government fails to fund it as promised. Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha told The Associated Press that he and other lawmakers plan to float the idea Tuesday when they return to the Capitol for a long-awaited debate on Medicaid expansion (4/15).

Health News Florida: New Report Finds Hidden Savings In Medicaid Expansion
State lawmakers may have overlooked more than $430 million in yearly savings for Florida taxpayers by not accepting the federal dollars promised through the Affordable Care Act. The savings, says the Medicaid director at Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, come from the Obama administration's recent pledge to pay the full cost of "Medically Needy" recipients annually (Gentry, 4/15).