Health care on the agenda for Legislature

| 9/26/2023

Health care on the agenda for Legislature

As Gov. Ron DeSantis prepares to roll out priorities for the 2024 legislative session, he signaled support for joining legislative leaders in addressing health-care issues. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, has been gathering input about how to boost the number of health-care providers in the state. Republican leaders already have made clear that expanding Medicaid eligibility --- a move long sought by Democrats --- won’t be an option. [Source: News Service of Florida]

See also:
» Florida House may again take up medical malpractice related to death of adult children

Florida joins 3 other states in adopting new, paid maternity leave for state workers

With a tight labor market and more than 7,000 vacancies in state government, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet did something this week that the state government has never done in agreeing to offer paid maternity leave to expectant mothers. Under the proposal approved Tuesday during a nine-minute meeting via telephone, eligible state employees can receive paid maternity leave for up to seven weeks and parental leave for two weeks. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Miami Herald.

Publix partners with Florida company to cut costs on drugs

Visory Health, a prescription savings company based in Orlando, offers discount cards that can be used at pharmacies across the country. Now, it has partnered with Florida-based Publix to give customers a chance to save on medications, Visory announced on Wednesday. The challenge is to keep ahead of rising prescription drug costs. [Source: Miami Herald]

Florida Medicaid drops 105,000 people in August as 'unwinding' continues

Enrollment in Florida’s Medicaid program dropped by more than 105,000 people in August, continuing decreases after the end of a federal public health emergency stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enrollment totaled 5,254,460 people in August, down from 5,360,069 in July, according to data posted on the state Agency for Health Care Administration website. Overall, more than 525,000 people have lost coverage in Florida since the process began. [Source: News Service of Florida]

KidCare premiums are covered in counties hit by Hurricane Idalia

The Florida Healthy Kids Corp. will cover the costs of September premiums for children who are enrolled in the KidCare health insurance program and live in 16 counties affected by Hurricane Idalia. The Florida Healthy Kids Corp. board of directors on Wednesday approved the move, which will cost an estimated $961,000. It will apply to families in 16 counties designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as eligible for federal individual assistance after the Category 3 hurricane, which made landfall Aug. 30 in Taylor County. [Source: Health News Florida]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› One of Broward’s public hospitals is opening a primary care center near Hialeah [Miami Herald]
Memorial Healthcare System has opened a new primary care center in northwest Miami-Dade, near Interstate 75, just north of Hialeah and Miami Lakes, with plans to improve healthcare access for a swath of the county that is home to more than 500,000 people. Memorial’s decision to expand into northwest Miami-Dade comes after its Broward hospitals in a recent year provided emergency, inpatient and labor and delivery services to 50,000 people who live in this part of the county.

› Attorneys for All Children’s make hospital’s case in ‘Maya’ lawsuit [Tampa Bay Times]
Maya Kowalski received 55 doses of ketamine over a nine-month period, including one given the day before her mother demanded that emergency room doctors at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital administer more of the drug to the 10-year-old girl, an attorney for the hospital told a Venice court Thursday.

› Orlando Health announces plans for $160M pediatric care pavilion [WFTV]
Orlando Health announced Monday plans to build a $160 million children’s pavilion to provide health care for children in Central Florida. Officials said the Orlando Health Children’s Pavilion will be located across from Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Officials said the new six-story facility will bring more than 30 pediatric specialties together under one roof.

› Build-out approved for Medical Microinstruments U.S. HQ in Jacksonville [Jacksonville Daily Record]
Jacksonville issued a permit Sept. 22 for Dav-Lin Inc. to renovate a Gate Parkway building for the U.S. corporate headquarters for Italy-based Medical Microinstruments Inc. The robotics company focuses on microsurgery. Dav-Lin will renovate 17,606 square feet of space within Building 500 at 5022 Gate Parkway at a project cost of almost $1.2 million.

Tags: Health Care eNews

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