Planned Parenthood of Florida launched itself on Monday against three pending abortion bills and in favor of expanded Medicaid - all in the name of health care access for women.
Legislators of both houses and both parties can expect volunteers in pink t-shirts to show up in their office waiting rooms in coming days. They're from Planned Parenthood and they’re campaigning for increased access for women to health care. That means accepting federal money to expand Medicaid, and abandoning three new attempts to ban or restrict abortion.
"Does anybody here want politicians like Rick Scott in your exam room at your doctor's office", asked Jenna Toth, Planned Parenthood's Orlando director. " NO! I didn’t think so."
She says a third of a million Florida women have too much money to qualify for regular Medicaid but not enough for Obamacare health policies. She - and others like Tampa State senator Arthenia Joyner - want Gov. Scott to accept federal money for an expanded Medicaid program.
"If you're sick and you don't have access than you’re almost like a zombie, just floating round praying and hoping that somebody will help you", Joyner said.
This year's attempts at abortion restrictions include an out-and-out ban on abortion with possible life sentences for convicted abortion doctors. The only exception is to save the life of the mother or to keep an existing medical condition from getting worse. A Medicaid expansion bill filed by Miami Senator Rene Garcia is also pending.