In the News
On ACA Anniversary, DeSantis Remains Opposed to Expanding Access to Affordable Health Insurance in Florida
Today marks the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since the ACA took effect, millions of Floridians, many of whom may have been priced out of health insurance options, or denied coverage based on preexisting conditions, have been able to purchase affordable health insurance through the ACA’s marketplace.
Despite the positive impact the ACA has had on Florida, Ron DeSantis repeatedly voted to repeal the law in Congress and has made staunch opposition to expanding access to affordable health insurance for Floridians a pillar of his time in Tallahassee.
DeSantis has used his role as governor to keep Florida from expanding affordable health insurance for Floridians:
- Under DeSantis, Florida ranks among the states with the highest health care prices and the most expensive out-of-pocket costs for patients. Despite this, DeSantis has refused to expand the state’s Medicaid program, making Florida only one of 10 that have yet to do so, which would allow access to affordable health insurance for hundreds of thousands of Floridians.
DeSantis repeatedly voted to repeal the ACA, even though more Floridians get their health insurance through the marketplace than any other state in the country:
- In Congress, DeSantis repeatedly voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
- More Floridians get their health care through the Affordable Care Act marketplace than any state in the country. In 2023, 3.2 million Floridians purchased their health insurance through the ACA, making Florida the number one state for ACA enrollments in the country.
- The Affordable Care Act provides protections for 3.5 million Floridians with preexisting conditions. Without ACA protections, millions of Floridians would be at risk of being denied health insurance.