NY frustrated by long wait for Medicaid waiver

Gov. Cuomo says he wants to help struggling hospitals. In Florida, Gov. Scott wouldn't say if he still supports expanding Medicaid eligibility to poor Floridians.

The Washington Post: Cuomo Spars With Obama Administration Over Medicaid Expansion
A plan to help struggling hospitals that cater to minority and low-income patients in New York City that has been under consideration for more than a year is causing friction between the state's Congressional delegation and the Obama administration, and leading to heated words between Albany and Washington. In a tense phone call late last month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) pushed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to act promptly on his state's request to spend billions of dollars on Medicaid reforms, including hundreds of millions to shore up public hospitals on the brink of financial collapse (Wilson, 12/12).

Tampa Bay Times: Scott Won't Answer Question On Medicaid For More Floridians
Gov. Rick Scott refused Wednesday to say whether he still supports expanding Medicaid eligibility to more uninsured and poor Floridians, an issue Democrats are certain to stress during his re-election campaign next year. Appearing at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute on Wednesday, Scott for the second time this week publicly dodged questions about his position on expanding Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor. Though Scott surprised many observers by endorsing expansion earlier this year, he also was criticized for failing to press House Republicans to accept the plan (Tillman, 12/11).