The Bottom Line 

Thousands of Floridians have died prematurely because of the lack of Medicaid Expansion. 

Florida is just 1 of 10 states that has not updated its Medicaid eligibility requirements since 2013; the time to expand Medicaid in Florida is now. 

How To Get Involved 

In order to get Medicaid Expansion on the ballot in 2026, we need 1 million petitions signed by Florida voters by the end of this year. Request your petition and get involved at https://linktr.ee/floridadecideshealthcare. 

Medicaid Expansion is projected to benefit: 

● 570,000 low income uninsured adults, leading to a 28% reduction in uninsured Floridians 

● 91,350 uninsured parents with children at home, which will benefit the entire family as children are more likely to be insured and get preventative care when parents are covered 

● 50,000 uninsured adult Floridians with disabilities who currently fall in the coverage gap. 

● 393,000 adult Floridians with mental illness are currently uninsured; expansion would significantly increase treatment services for those with mental illness, substance abuse disorders, and victims of the opioid epidemic 

● 144,000 women, including 100,800 of reproductive age, who currently fall in the coverage gap
 
● 382,000 Florida workers in essential or front-line industries who currently fall in the coverage gap including 35,000 in food service, 24,000 in construction, and 9,000 in landscaping; workers would account for 67% of those who would benefit 

● 108,800 veterans in Florida who are below the poverty level, as those with or without VA benefits would be eligible 

● Floridians in rural areas who currently benefit by a larger percentage from Medicaid (17% compared to 11% metro) and likewise would benefit by a a larger share from expansion; Medicaid Expansion decreases the likelihood a rural hospital will close by 62% 

Women's Equality Day is Aug. 26

Voting is the cornerstone of democracy. It is one way to voice your opinion to our elected officials, at all levels of government. But, did you know that women across the U.S. didn't have the right to vote until August 26, 1920?
 
That was the day when the 19th Amendment was certified by U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby, making this amendment part of the U.S. Constitution. The amendment had passed Congress in 1919 and been ratified by 3/4 (36) of the states, with Tennessee being the last on August 18, 1920, but it needed Colby's signature for certification.
 
While we know that passage of the 19th amendment did not bring equal voting rights to all women, it was the culmination of a 72-year struggle to obtain this initial right to vote. The passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (60 years ago on August 6) finally provided more protections for historically excluded groups in the United States, such as Black and Hispanic voters.

In 1971, fifty years after women obtained the right to vote, New York Rep. Bella Abzug introduced a resolution to proclaim August 26 as Women’s Equality Day.  But, as with most things related to women’s rights, it wasn’t until two years later that Congress passed the resolution stating Aug. 26 would be designated as Women's Equality Day.

Rep. Abzug’s push for this day was not just about voting rights but also about continuing the fight for women’s equality overall. A fight that women must continue even today, over 50 years later, as we watch women’s rights being eroded away one law or one court decision at a time!

Voting is the cornerstone of democracy! The 2026 elections may seem a long way off, but it is never too early to encourage people to register to vote, update their current voter registration and request their vote-by-mail ballot.

Be prepared to use your vote, so your voice can be heard!

The Broward League has created a gallery of fascinating profiles of suffragists. Visit our page and meet them.  Suffragist gallery

League members celebrating the $500 grant from American Legion Post #36.