Florida Governor Rick Scott attempts to sabotage Obamacare launch by refusing to allow ACA navigators to work in his state.

Courtesy of the Miami Herald:  

The outreach workers known as navigators won’t be allowed to help people sign up for health insurance on the grounds of county health departments, according to a memo from the Florida Department of Health. 

The order from Deputy Health Secretary C. Meade Grigg went out late Monday to the 60 local health department directors across the state. 

Grigg declined to comment on the directive. But health department spokeswoman Ashley Carr said there was a need for “clarity” and “a consistent message” across the agency. 

“Navigators are not acting on behalf of the Department of Health and this program has raised privacy concerns due to the consumer information that will be gathered for use in a federal database,” Carr wrote in a statement. 

Health and Human Services Department spokesman Fabien Levy called the Florida directive “another blatant and shameful attempt to intimidate groups who will be working to inform Americans about their new health insurance options and help them enroll in coverage, just like Medicare counselors have been doing for years.”

Of course these navigators are crucial to the success of the Affordable Care Act.

This from Public Health Newswire:

To help consumers understand all their new options, the law is creating a formal “navigator” program and other in-person assistance programs designed to help consumers enroll and learn about how to access care under their new coverage. Organizations and health entities can apply to become formal navigators and educate and guide consumers through their application processes. 

Among the requirements, navigators must achieve certain training standards such as being equipped to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services to their consumers, and maintaining knowledge about racial, ethnic, and cultural groups in their area. 

ACA workers who speak your language, understand the options, and are able to help you access the best and most affordable health care coverage available in your state. Yeah you can definitely see WHY the Republican Governors would fight that all the way.

You know I am beyond tired of of these obstructionist assholes doing everything in their power to keep people from accessing affordable health care.

There are REAL people out there suffering, and potentially dying, due to a lack of health coverage, and THESE bastards would rather keep them from getting the help they need rather than allow the American people to recognize that THEY have been fighting against a program that will greatly benefit them and their families once it is fully implemented.

It is time for Americans to vote this idiots out and pave the way for politicians who actually want to help their constituents rather than spend all of their time sucking Koch.