Florida leads the way as Obamacare enrollment outpaces prior years

| 11/28/2017

Florida leads the way as Obamacare enrollment outpaces prior years

Nationally, more than 2.2 million Americans have signed up for coverage on healthcare.gov through Nov. 18, including nearly 500,000 Floridians, more than any of the 39 states using the federal exchange, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reported. Story from WUSF is here. Also read more at the Miami Herald.

Controversial bill creates licensing requirement for Florida's "Diabetes educators"

This month is Diabetes Awareness Month, and a bipartisan push is underway to do more about the disease that is one of the leading cause of deaths among Floridians. Currently, Florida does not regulate or require licenses for anyone who teach diabetics about how to manage their disease. [Source: Health News Florida]

Commentary: Florida’s chronically ill at risk of being denied treatment coverage

For thousands of Floridians suffering from chronic and persistent illnesses, access to quality, affordable medical care is essential to their overall health. Yet patients with chronic conditions have a one-in-four chance of being denied treatment coverage by their insurance provider. [Source: Naples Daily News ]

One Florida hospital hasn’t reopened since Hurricane Irma. And it may not for 2 years

Fishermen’s Community Hospital officials have been quiet about when the Marathon medical center will reopen, but Chief Executive Rick Freeburg said last week that it will need to be rebuilt. The Middle Keys hospital’s building, recently bought by Baptist Health South Florida, remains closed after sustaining major damage to the roof during Hurricane Irma. [Source: Miami Herald]

Florida-based healthcare ed tech group sees steady growth

Tucked away in a second-floor downtown Gainesville office space on Southeast 2nd Avenue, a fast-growing software developer continues to stretch its cocoon. Shadow Health, which produces healthcare education technology, has plans to launch its sixth interactive nursing teaching product next year. [Source: Gainesville Sun]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Former WellCare general counsel sentenced to 6 months [Health News Florida]
The former general counsel for WellCare was sentenced to six months in federal prison for making a false statement to the Florida Medicaid Program. Thaddeus N.S. Bereday, 52, of Tampa, also must serve a three-year term of supervised release that includes one year of home confinement.

› Plantation-based CarePredict tracks seniors’ health for caregivers in a natural way [Miami Herald]
CarePredict is an AI-driven platform for elder care that uses deep learning to provide insights based on the daily activities of seniors. It starts with a wearable — a bracelet — that collects data that is sent to an app.

› New Florida Hospital expected to boost Apopka's west side [Orlando Sentinel]
Florida Hospital will open its newest medical campus next month and, with it, most likely the doors to an economic boom on the west side of Apopka.

› Tampa providing emergency medical service at MacDill, including new ambulance [Tampa Bay Times]
Sick and injured people at MacDill Air Force Base now rely on crews from Tampa Fire Rescue for help, and soon, they’ll have their own dedicated ambulance.

» Go to page 2 for more health care stories in your region

Regional Health Care
News & Updates

Tags: Health Care eNews

Previous Health Care Updates:

Florida hospitals: Building boom

College crime surging back to pre-COVID levels. Here's the crime at Florida colleges, universities

Florida insurance market full of ‘low quality' companies, study finds

Commercial rent tax cut coming sooner than expected