Gillum said he would work with the Florida Legislature to pass a law requiring companies to issue health insurance policies to individuals and prevent insurance companies from limiting coverage for pre-existing conditions. | AP Photo Gillum proposes constitutional amendment on health care

TALLAHASSEE — Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Andrew Gillum wants Floridians to have guaranteed access to affordable health care.

Gillum announced Tuesday his support for a proposed constitutional amendment that would declare affordable health care is a fundamental right of all Floridians and direct the Florida Legislature to make health care a priority when building its budget.


Gillum made the announcement as the U.S. Senate considers the Better Health Care Act, its version of legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

Gov. Rick Scott is in Washington working with Rubio’s office on the bill as are two staff members from the Florida legislature: Allen Brown, Senate President Joe Negron’s chief health care adviser, and Carol Gormley, who worked with the Bush Administration in securing Florida’s sweeping Medicaid 1115 waiver more than a decade ago.

The Congressional Budget Office released on Monday estimates that show the Senate bill would result in 22 million more uninsured in a decade and 15 million more uninsured alone in 2018. That’s a slight improvement over the coverage decline of 23 million that the CBO projected for the House’s repeal bill, known as the American Health Care Act.

"It's time for Florida to finally enshrine healthcare as a right for all. There is a public trust for the government to care for its citizens, and our state can no longer be ambiguous about that moral obligation,” Gillum said in a prepared release announcing the proposed constitutional amendment.

“When healthcare is under attack in Washington, we're going to lean into the challenge of healthcare in the Sunshine State and live our values," he said.

Gillum has made health care a priority in his campaign for governor and has announced support of initiatives at the state level to mirror the protections currently in place under the federal health care law, commonly called Obamacare.

Gillum said he would work with the Florida Legislature to pass a law requiring companies to issue health insurance policies to individuals and prevent insurance companies from limiting coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Last week, Gillum announced support of a state law to guarantee continued no-cost access to contraception.

To date, Gillum’s proposals would require approval of the Florida Legislature. The proposed constitutional amendment, though, only requires voter approval.

In order for the amendment to appear before voters, organizers first must obtain signatures from more than 766,000 voters to sign a petition supporting the proposed amendment.

The amendment also must be reviewed by the state Supreme Court to ensure that it meets a single subject and that the ballot summary accurately reflects the content of the proposed amendment.

If the court approves the proposed ballot it can appear before the voters. In order for it to pass 60 percent of voters must vote yes.