As Florida's health care coverage prepares to change, group proposes Medicaid expansion
Cuts to Medicaid and the ACA are coming next year. A grassroots movement is attempting to lessen the blow by petitioning for an expansion of Medicaid on the 2026 voter ballot. Florida Decides Healthcare is the group behind the push for the proposed constitutional amendment that would require the state to expand Medicaid coverage for people between the ages of 18 and 65 who make up to 138% of the federal poverty limit. The move comes as Florida’s healthcare landscape will change beginning January 1. More from Central Florida Public Media and Health News Florida.
Florida needs more pediatricians. Rural areas may not have any
Rural communities face a dire shortage of general pediatricians compared to urban settings but the practice climate as a whole in Florida for the specialty can be difficult, according to Dr. Jennifer Takagishi, vice president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Multiple issues influence whether freshly-minted general pediatricians come or stay in Florida and for retaining seasoned practitioners, she said. [Source: Naples Daily News]
No deal: Memorial Healthcare System goes out of network for Florida Blue policyholders
Memorial Healthcare System’s doctors, specialists, and hospitals are no longer in the network for Florida Blue policyholders, the state’s largest health insurer. As of Sept. 1, the contract between the two parties expires, although negotiations continue. For now, Memorial Healthcare has chosen not to make appointments for Florida Blue’s 31,000 affected policyholders, even those who agree to self-pay or pay out-of-network prices. More from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and WPLG.
Florida considers rule to improve healthcare data breach transparency
Healthcare providers in Florida could have new data breach reporting requirements if a recently proposed Florida Administrative Code Regulation Rule is adopted. The rule was proposed by the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to improve healthcare data breach transparency and preparedness for security incidents. If adopted, healthcare providers will be required to have a contingency plan for information technology incidents, to ensure that critical operations and patient care services can continue during an interruption to normal operations. [Source: HIPPA Journal]
Facing an 'increased need,' OneBlood calls to donors for help
OneBlood is facing an "increased need" for donations. The Southeast region's blood bank took to social media last week, seeking help in receiving more blood and platelets. OneBlood is coming off its weakest stretch of donations – the summer break. The blood bank receives 20% of its overall supply from schools when they're in session. When school is out for summer, the blood supply drops. In addition, supplies dip over holidays due to more people on the roadways. [Source: WUSF]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› NSU Florida trains doctors as osteopathic medicine rises
The American Osteopathic Association says osteopathic medicine is one of the fastest-growing health care professions in the country, with one out of every four medical students enrolled in an osteopathic medical school. Students are becoming osteopathic physicians at the Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University.
› A new cancer hub is opening in Miami Beach soon. Here’s what patients can expect
Mount Sinai’s new Miami Beach cancer hub is nearly ready. You can see the five-story glass building as you drive into Miami Beach, nestled along the picturesque coast of Biscayne Bay. Hospital executives say the Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center was designed with wellness in mind, to provide care not just for the patient’s physical health but for their mental and emotional health, too.
› Multibillion-dollar health care boom: New towers, campuses planned for Orlando area
Major hospital projects are ramping up across Central Florida, signaling a wave of health care investment that could reshape the region’s medical landscape. From new towers and expansions to entirely new campuses, systems like AdventHealth, Orlando Health, Nemours Children’s Health and Health First are preparing to break ground or open doors on developments totaling more than $2 billion.
› $187.38 million emergency care building on Downtown Southbank advances
The Baptist Medical Center and Wolfson Children’s Hospital Jacksonville project is planned for completion in 2029. When completely opened, the facility will have two distinctive emergency rooms, waiting areas and patient care rooms comprising a total of 100 emergency rooms, 63 for adults and 37 for children, including three pediatric trauma rooms on the first floor.