For the last two years, Florida's Republican lawmakers have been saying "no" to Medicaid, warning it could cost too much.

But now Washington is fighting back, cutting money the state already depends on. It's causing a budget crisis that could doom the Republican agenda in Tallahassee.

Chad Riese is one of the one million Floridians who would have finally received coverage under Medicaid expansion, but that expansion hasn't happened because Republican leaders refused.

Riese, who has epilepsy, doesn't have permanent health insurance because he can't afford it.

"Not only is the problem piling up on me, but it's now piling up on these hospitals that I'm not paying the money to," he said. "They're treating me and now they're stuck with the money that I don't know if I'll be able to pay back to them anytime soon."

And now the federal government is revoking $1.3 billion in promised hospital funding, pushing Florida's budget nearly $300 million into the red.

For the Capitol's majority Republicans, a deep deficit could make it nearly impossible for them to achieve their goal of passing millions of dollars worth of tax cuts, which is why they could be willing to think twice about expanding Medicaid.

A vote for expansion would mean pulling down more than $50 billion in federal funding, enough to bring the budget back into balance and save those tax cuts.

All indications are that Senate Republicans are prepared to approve Medicaid expansion, but the question remains as to whether House Republicans will agree.

"We do not plan to do anything on Medicaid expansion," said Rep. Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island. "I am a 'never say never' kind of guy. Certainly, anything can come about that provides opportunity."

For his part, Riese hopes that opportunity is finally here, both for lawmakers and for himself.

"Lawmakers have a job, and that's to make the citizens of Florida happy, and I can tell you that I'm not happy 'cause I'm not healthy," he said.

Gov. Rick Scott said he continues to be in favor of Medicaid expansion, and if a bill hits his desk, he promises to sign it.