Florida lawmakers will consider Medicaid expansion

Legislative economists are meeting to discuss Medicaid costs. The meeting comes after Gov. Rick Scott said he wants to extend coverage to roughly 900,000 additional residents under the Affordable Care Act.

The Office of Economic and Demographic Research will release regular Medicaid figures at a meeting in Tallahassee on Monday. Medicaid expansion estimates will be released next week.

Those projections have varied widely, but the latest figures estimate it could cost the state $3 billion over the next decade.

State economists estimate about 80 percent of those eligible would apply.

Scott recommended the state expand the program for three years or as long as the federal government pays 100 percent of the bill. But the Legislature must still sign off.

A House committee meets Thursday to discuss the issue.