TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — “Every American deserves to be healthy,” Florida Democrats said on Monday, once again urging the GOP-controlled legislature to expand Medicaid this session. Yet, with Republicans firmly in control, efforts to make it happen in Florida have remained stalled for years. As affordability becomes a top priority for voters, advocates hope this year could be different.
“It’s the righteous thing to do,” said FL House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa). “It is the right thing to do.”
Driskell, along with other Democratic lawmakers and U.S. Congressman Maxwell Frost (FL-10), gathered at the capitol in Tallahassee to make their case for expansion. Florida remains one of only a handful of states that have not extended Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, leaving hundreds of thousands of Floridians without access to healthcare.
“Florida is already just one of 10 states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, leaving nearly 800,000 Floridians—our neighbors, our family—without healthcare,” said Frost.
For Democrats, the push for Medicaid expansion has become an annual effort. For years, they’ve proposed legislation to raise the income eligibility threshold to help more Floridians qualify for coverage. This year is no different, with Rep. Dotie Joseph (D-North Miami) spearheading the effort.
“You would only have to earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level to qualify for coverage,” Joseph explained. “In 2025, that figure will be just $29,000 for a family of three.”
Supporters of the expansion also argue that it could benefit the state financially. According to estimates by the Florida Policy Institute, Florida could potentially save up to $2 billion by drawing down billions in federal matching funds.
“Not only is it good for the budget, but it’s good for the people,” Frost added. “That’s what should be guiding all of our decisions.”
However, Republicans remain opposed. In previous years, GOP lawmakers have called Medicaid expansion a “band-aid” solution. Florida House Speaker Rep. Danny Perez (R-Miami) has argued that more opportunities should be created to improve Floridians’ economic circumstances in other ways.
This year, Perez is advocating for more affordable housing and seeking to curb state spending.
“Our sole responsibility is to pass a balanced budget,” Perez said during a recent interview. “That’s the one job the constituents have given us.”
Despite past roadblocks in the state Senate, New Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Bartow) said last year he was at least “open-minded” to the idea of Medicaid expansion. Still, no significant movement has occurred in the upper chamber.
With voter frustration over affordability mounting, Democrats remain hopeful. Town halls across the state—especially those held over the weekend—have shown growing discontent with the status quo.
There’s also a renewed effort underway to put Medicaid expansion on the 2026 ballot, bypassing the legislature altogether. To succeed, supporters will need to gather nearly 900,000 valid signatures and clear a language review by the Florida Supreme Court. At last count, fewer than 5,000 valid signatures had been collected.
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