Despite a decision by U.S. Senate Republican leaders to put the chamber's controversial health care bill on ice Tuesday, the legislation's critics are continuing to warn about the potential repercussions for Floridians should it be resuscitated after the July 4 congressional recess.

The bill, which would scale back Medicaid expenditures by $772 billion over 10 years, could have a disproportionately large impact on Florida, where 4.3 million people are enrolled in the program, including half of all nursing home residents.

While Gov. Rick Scott lobbied in Washington for modest changes to the bill, a Democrat vying to succeed him -- former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham -- stood in the Florida Capitol rotunda Tuesday to denounce the legislation as "appalling."

"These cuts to Medicaid are devastating for Floridians and for seniors here in Florida, so we should be expanding Medicaid," Graham said. "I have said this before, as well: I do not know how our Florida legislators sleep at night."

The reference is to the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature's rejection of $51 billion to cover close to a million uninsured Floridians. Scott, previously a Medicaid expansion advocate who flip-flopped on the issue following his narrow re-election victory, has argued that any Medicaid cuts the Senate bill exacts on Florida should be proportionately smaller than those expansion states would have to endure.

Joining Graham for Tuesday's event was Tabitha Frazier, whose seven-year-old son, Kellen, was born with a congenital heart defect. While Frazier's private insurance paid for his surgery, she worries he may someday be unable to afford his mandatory follow-on care costs if Medicaid is curtailed.

"Life is good for me," Frazier said. "I'm able to make that decision and choice, but when my child's 18, in his job, he's probably not going to be able to make that choice. The majority of people that are dependent on Medicare or Medicaid to get these types of services are going to be hit hard."

Scott demands changes to Senate bill in Washington

Gov. Scott, meanwhile, asked top Republicans to make changes to the bill in the Senate Tuesday.

Scott wants a guarantee that Florida will not receive less money per person for Medicaid than other states that expanded the program under the Affordable Care Act.

Scott and Republicans in the Florida House refused to allow the Medicaid expansion in the state. At one point Scott came out in favor of the expansion, which would have allowed an additional 800,000 people to get Medicaid, but then Scott changed his stance after he was re-elected.

Scott also wants Florida officials to have a greater say over how the program is structured, and protections that anyone can purchase insurance even if they have a pre-existing condition.

Scott's visit included a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

Florida already has one of the nation's stingiest Medicaid programs, offering relatively low reimbursements to providers and limiting eligibility.

Still, half of Florida's children and three in five nursing home residents depend on Medicaid and its Children's Health Insurance Program, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

  The current Senate bill would let states ease Obama's requirements that insurers cover certain specified services like substance abuse treatments. It also would eliminate $700 billion worth of taxes over a decade, largely on wealthier people and medical companies _ money that Obama's law used to expand coverage.
  The current Senate bill would let states ease Obama's requirements that insurers cover certain specified services like substance abuse treatments. It also would eliminate $700 billion worth of taxes over a decade, largely on wealthier people and medical companies _ money that Obama's law used to expand coverage.