Florida leads the nation in ACA enrollment decreases as costs spike
The preliminary numbers are in, and Florida saw the most people of any state stop getting their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. More than 260,000 fewer Floridians now get their health coverage through the ACA, according to data released Monday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Even though the numbers aren't final, the drop reflects concerns after Congress failed to approve extended subsidies for plans beginning with the new year, leading to sharp premium increases for tens of thousands of people in Florida and around the country. More from Central Florida Public Media and Health News Florida.
Florida Trend Exclusive
The stealthy killer
Lung cancer and breast cancer and prostate cancer get loads of attention and publicity, but you hardly ever hear about pancreatic cancer. However, the fact is that pancreatic cancer is the third most common cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society. The pancreas, one of those organs people rarely think about, is a large gland located behind your stomach. It plays a role in digestion and regulating hormones and blood sugar. Pancreatic cancer is deadly — and stealthy. It’s deadly because it sneaks up on people. [Source: Florida Trend]
New statewide insurance trust enters 2026 with sustained growth
The Florida Educator Health Trust (FLEHT) enters 2026 less than a year old, but already with significant progress under its belt. Established to help Florida School Districts save on employee health plans without having to pass along benefit reductions, the program opened last June with just three counties on board. As of mid-January, more School Boards have voted to join the program at various points throughout 2026, which will bring the total counties enrolled to 15. [Source: Florida Politics]
Florida deregulated nursing schools. Scam colleges and failing students followed
Alarmed by a growing shortage of nurses, Florida lawmakers in 2009 eased regulations on the schools tasked with training them, inviting new institutions to enter the market. The results were swift: Within five years, the number of Florida nursing programs more than doubled. But many were for-profit institutions that churned out students whose pricey degrees left them ill-prepared to enter the field. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Beyond the eye of the storm: The impact of repeated hurricane closures on mental health
Whether it’s stocking up on food supplies or weather-proofing their home, Florida’s residents are no strangers to preparing for hurricanes. Over the past six years, Florida has endured five major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher, including Hurricane Ian in 2022, which caused at least 156 fatalities and $112.9 billion in total damage, and Hurricane Helene, which resulted in at least 250 fatalities and $78.7 billion in total damage in 2024. On top of the physical damage, hurricanes can take an emotional toll, leaving people to rebuild their sense of control, stability and safety. [Source: WUSF]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› UF Health study finds long COVID led to over $12B in lost wages
Long COVID caused $12.7 billion in lost U.S. wages from employee sick time in 2022 alone, highlighting its significant impact on the economy, a new study by University of Florida Health researchers says. Lost wages for individuals with long COVID averaged $1,944 and were about 33% higher than those with COVID-19 without long-term symptoms, according to the study, published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine earlier this month.
› Florida lawmaker pushes back on AI use for Medicare treatments
On Friday, Florida U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-District 22, held a press conference to push back against a new Medicare program that uses AI for prior authorization. On Jan. 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services launched a pilot program in six states: New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona and Washington. The pilot program, also known as the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model, works with private companies to use Artificial Intelligence to help decide what Medicare can cover for treatments, aiming to ensure timely and appropriate Medicare payments.
› Nurses partner with new moms in Orange County to boost health of mothers, babies
The county started its initiative in 2021, part of the national Nurse Family Partnership program that began in Denver with the goal of improving pregnancy outcomes and maternal and child health. First-time mothers who sign up get regular visits with nurses who help coordinate their medical care, check in on their well-being, assess how their babies are developing and offer parenting tips. The program was created to help women facing adversity, especially those with limited incomes likely to be raising their children on their own.
› Baptist Health plans 15-story hotel on downtown Jacksonville's campus
Baptist Health is planning to add a 15-story, nearly $110 million hotel to its campus on the Downtown Southbank. Rooms will be offered to families of patients receiving care in the Baptist Health campus, but the hotel will also be marketed to anyone wanting to stay Downtown. Downtown Investment Authority CEO Colin Tarbert said he envisioned the hotel as primarily being an amenity for Baptist.