According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average health plan costs an American family $13,770 in premiums a year. Gov. Rick Scott pays just $360 to insure himself and his wife thanks to a state government plan he's enrolled in. Yep, the average American pays 38.25 times percent more for his or her health insurance than Scott does. The difference is that the plan Scott is enrolled in is taxpayer-subsidized.
Of course, Scott is a staunch opponent of President Obama's health-care reforms. Go figure.
Scott, a multimillionaire who made his money in the health-care industry, prides himself on refusing to collect his salary as governor. However, the AP confirms he is in fact enrolled in the supersweet health insurance program offered to state leaders. The plan is offered to high-level leaders such as the governor, state department heads, and legislators. All 40 members of the Florida Senate are enrolled, while 112 of the 120 members of the Florida House are enrolled.
Scott and his fellow Tallahassee insiders pay just $30 a month to insure their entire family or $8.34 a month to insure only themselves.
To put it in perspective, the family of a Tallahassee politician would pay $41 less a year than what an average American would pay to insure oneself for only a month.
So who's paying for all of those politicians' doctors bills? Well, in a way, you are.
"Most of the money spent on state worker health insurance coverage comes from taxpayers and not employee premiums," the AP reports.
Scott pushed to reform the plan slightly last year (though, even if this were adopted, he'd still get one hell of a deal), but the Republican-controlled legislature decided they liked things just as they are.
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