The League of Women Voters of Florida State president Pamela Goodman yesterday challenged Florida lawmakers to suspend their state-paid subsidized health care coverage–for which they pay $180 a month for the family plan — until all Floridians have the option of affordable health care coverage.
In a press release, Goodman said, “Maybe the only way to achieve health care justice is for opponents to walk a mile in the shoes of the less fortunate, working poor in Florida.”
The League of Women Voters of Florida has called on state lawmakers to stop playing political games and take action on behalf of all Floridians when they return for the Special Session on June 1.
State president Pamela Goodman said legislators “need to get down to work, stop posturing, and approve a budget that provides a path to health care coverage for 800,000 low-income workers.”
Goodman said the Florida Senate has “led the way by proposing a new coverage plan. But the House leadership is stubbornly refusing to act.”
“It was unconscionable of the House to abruptly end its regular session three days early to avoid discussion of this issue and the Senate’s bipartisan plan,” Goodman stated.
Goodman, a former CEO of Limited Express, said that in the business world the House’s refusal to carry out the one task required of the Legislature — approve a budget — would be grounds for dismissal.
“Pink slips would have been issued weeks ago when our legislators stopped working,” she said. “It is hard to ignore that they didn’t take pay cuts and kept their health insurance coverage, while refusing to even enter into a discussion with their Senate counterparts and ignoring the needs of all Floridians.”
To better understand this issue, read this week’s cover story “No More Kicking The Can.”