An online news service is reporting that Governor Rick Scott was warned the cost estimates he's been using to debate the federal health care law are too high. But the Scott administration refused to scrap the numbers.
According to Health News Florida, emails show that questions about the numbers were raised by key state budget analyst.
Amy Baker of the Legislature's Office of Economic & Demographic Research, and Eric Pridgeon of the House Health Care Appropriations panel play central roles in estimating the state's Medicaid expenses.
Last month the Agency for Health Care Administration, which is under Scott, said Medicaid changes in the Affordable Care Act would cost the state $26 billion over ten years. That was dramatically higher than earlier estimates.
According to Health News Florida, Baker and Pridgeon quickly found flaws with AHCA's estimates and said moving forward with the numbers would violate state law.
After meeting Monday with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleeen Sebelius, Scott used the $26 billion figure to express concerns about the cost of the federal health law. AHCA spokeswoman Michelle Dahnke says the agency stands by its numbers.