March 17, 2015

Tallahassee, Fla. – The Associated Industries of Florida (AIF) today released the following statement attributable to Tamela Perdue, general counsel for AIF, commending the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services for unanimously passing Senate Bill 7044, the “Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange” (FHIX).

“We commend members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services for passing FHIX, a Florida-centric plan to expand health care coverage to nearly one million Floridians by drawing down our state’s share of federal dollars in a thoughtful and Florida-specific manner.

“Uncompensated health care accounts for an extraordinary amount of money that is currently being born by Florida’s businesses, the economic engine of our state; and, this plan is a free-market, consumer choice health care system that seeks to alleviate that economic strain.

“And, while there is no silver bullet in achieving the goal of making affordable health care available to all Floridians, AIF, along with 700 business owners, 20 local chambers of commerce and 112,000 individuals, supports SB 7044, as it is essential for the business community in Florida to have a meaningful policy discussion on expanding health care to Floridians, in order to ultimately reduce this hidden tax on businesses that drives up health insurance premiums and stifles the growth of businesses here in the Sunshine State.

“On behalf of AIF, I thank Senate President Andy Gardiner and the Florida Senate for continuing their leadership and dialogue on this critically important Florida health reform initiative.”

For more information on AIF, please visit AIF.com and follow @VoiceofFLBiz.

# # #