TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Rick Scott told a Republican women’s group why he supports expanding Medicaid coverage to roughly 900,000 more people under the federal health overhaul.

Scott appeared to be wrapping up a speech Sunday at a Florida Federation of Republican Women dinner, when he suddenly decided to talk about his decision, which he acknowledged made some people unhappy.

The governor said Floridians are paying for the taxes that pay for the expansion, so they also should get the benefits from it, too, while the federal government covers the cost.

He also described how his parents were too poor to provide health care for his brothers, adding “If it was my mom, if she was sitting here, she would have made the same decision.”

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)