Florida must expand Medicaid

Everyone deserves access to quality and affordable health care. And we know that early, routine screenings and easy access to care and treatment are critical to ending the HIV epidemic — especially in the South, where access to health care is the most limited.

Unfortunately, Florida is one of the 10 states that have yet to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. That means almost 500,000 Floridians are living without access to affordable health coverage and unable to receive the care they need, including treatment for HIV.

The South is also home to a disproportionately high number of HIV cases, especially in Black communities. Many interconnected social factors contribute to this reality. The South has the highest poverty rate and lowest median household income compared to other regions of the U.S. When it comes to HIV, there is less awareness, more stigma, and several access and prevention barriers that lead to increased transmission and disproportionate impact in communities of color.

We’ve seen Medicaid expansion work in other states, delivering improved longterm health outcomes for their communities and significantly reducing the spread of HIV infections. In his recent visit to Tallahassee, N.C. Sen. Kevin Corbin, a Republican, described just how well it’s working for their state. Besides saving the state money, it has strengthened rural hospitals and given hardworking families the security of health-care coverage. It is clearer now more than ever — expanding Medicaid in Florida will help those living with HIV and many other chronic diseases.

Donna Sabatino

Flagler Beach