Medicaid is paid by federal and state dollars. It has long been a thorn in the side of Florida’s budget planners and political leaders because it consumes a bigger chunk of the budget each year, squeezing funding for education, transportation and other services. The problem worsens in lean budget years and has led to a push by Republican leaders to shift to a managed care model, which they say could help control costs. Critics worry this change could lead to cuts in services to the poor, elderly and disabled who qualify for Medicaid.
| Year | Medicaid Costs (in billions) | Percent of State Budget |
| 2002-03 | $11.4 | 23.6% |
| 2003-04 | 13.1 | 25.2 |
| 2004-05 | 13.9 | 23.8 |
| 2005-06 | 13.9 | 22.5 |
| 2006-07 | 14.4 | 21.7 |
| 2007-08 | 14.8 | 23.0 |
| 2008-09 | 16.0 | 26.4 |
| 2009-10 | 17.9 | 28.9 |
| 2010-11 | 19.2 | 29.4 |
| 2011-12 | 20.2 | 29.1 |
| 2012-13 | 21.2 | 30.2 |
| Source: Agency for Health Care Administration | ||