Financial missteps dug a multimillion-dollar hole in Florida’s health care budget
A House committee has criticized the DeSantis administration for overspending by the state Agency for Health Care Administration, with one Republican estimating the liability at the state’s largest health agency might exceed $965 million. Administrators conceded the agency has big problems. Committee members pressed Medicaid director Brian Meyer and Smith over a number of accounting errors and financing disputes Florida has had with the federal government that have resulted in “disallowances.” [Source: Florida Phoenix]
Medically Unneccessary: Why Florida Healthy Kids doesn't work for many kids with complex needs
About 137,000 children are receiving coverage through the Florida Healthy Kids Corp., which the state recommended for low-income families who didn’t have access to health insurance from employers and couldn’t afford federal marketplace insurance. The problem? Florida Healthy Kids is as advertised. It’s for healthy kids, not children recovering from cancer. [Source: Health News Florida]
As AI nurses reshape hospital care, human nurses are pushing back
Hospitals say AI is helping their nurses work more efficiently while addressing burnout and understaffing. But nursing unions argue that this poorly understood technology is overriding nurses' expertise and degrading the quality of care patients receive. “Hospitals have been waiting for the moment when they have something that appears to have enough legitimacy to replace nurses,” said Michelle Mahon of National Nurses United. “The entire ecosystem is designed to automate, de-skill and ultimately replace caregivers.” [Source: Click Orlando]
Why fewer kids are getting vaccinated in Florida — and how that could affect outbreaks
Fewer Florida parents are fully vaccinating their kindergartners against measles, polio, tetanus and other highly contagious diseases that can get people seriously ill, federal and state data show. Florida’s slowdown in kindergarten vaccinations, which began after COVID arrived five years ago, mirrors a nationwide decrease in a post-pandemic world where politics, misinformation and personal freedom have muddied vaccination guidance and reduced trust in what the family doctor recommends. [Source: Miami Herald]
Florida Senate passes comprehensive bill on autism, with a goal to understand its prevalence
The Florida Senate unanimously passed a measure aimed at improving the lives of children with autism and their families. The bill works to increase early detection and intervention, while filling in the gaps in educational opportunities. One part of the bill is directed at research to learn why autism is increasing. According to Stuart Republican Sen. Gayle Harrell, the bill sponsor, Florida has more than 20,000 preschoolers and more than 66,000 schoolchildren diagnosed with autism. [Source: WFSU]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Many South Floridians opt in for concierge medicine, paying for more access to doctors
More people are opting out of waiting for a doctor's appointment and opting into concierge medicine, paying more for better access. A recent report found the market for concierge medicine was valued at over $20 billion in 2024 and expected to grow to nearly $36 billion by 2030. By definition, "concierge medicine" is a membership-based medical practice that offers more personalized care for an annual fee.
› Glued to your phone? UM doctor offers ways to alleviate ‘tech neck’ pain
Walk into any coffee shop, airport, or waiting room, and you will see people in the familiar pose — head down, eyes fixed on a handheld device. With prolonged use, they will likely start feeling the effects, such as pain, stiffness, and discomfort, known as “tech neck” or “text neck.” Dr. Phil Grattan, a physical therapist and board-certified orthopedic specialist, shares some insights on the condition.
› South Florida expert reflects on how COVID-19 changed health care 5 years later
Five years ago Tuesday, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic. The pandemic brought immense hardships and uncertainty, but it also brought medical breakthroughs and forever changed the landscape of healthcare. A South Florida health expert who became the face of the pandemic helped many navigate these uncharted waters.
› Naples-based Landmark Hospitals files bankruptcy; pandemic partly to blame
Naples-based Landmark Hospitals has filed bankruptcy proceedings yet says it has no plans to close its long-term care hospitals in Georgia, South Carolina and Missouri, according to court filings. Landmark is most known in Southwest Florida for building and operating a 50-bed hospital in North Naples on the south side of Immokalee Road off Goodlette-Frank Road that was completed in 2015.