Health care the top issue for Florida voters

| 10/23/2018

Health care the top issue for Florida voters

More than the economy, immigration and gun reform, health care is the number one issue for Republicans and Democrats heading to the polls in Florida this November. According to a new tracking poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), 59 percent of Florida residents want to expand Medicaid, but voters differ on specific issues. [Source: WLRN] From KFF:

A majority of voters – nationally, in battleground areas with competitive elections, and in Florida and Nevada – say health care is “very important” in making their voting decisions for Congress this year, and at least a quarter choose health care as the “most important issue,” topping all other issues. Health care costs unite voters nationally and in the bellwether states, with voters offering costs as the top health care issue in this election.

Florida Panhandle medical care on life support after Michael

Medical services in the Florida Panhandle are still on life support more than a week after Hurricane Michael. Panama City’s two major hospitals, Bay Medical and the 216-bed Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center, still aren’t admitting patients. Only emergency room services are available at either facility. [Source: AP]

Fentanyl hits Florida hard and other observations from new data on the opioid epidemic

Northeast Florida is the hardest-hit part of the state by the opioid epidemic, according to new data presented at a conference in Lake Nona this week. The region is home to some of the highest drug overdose death rates. [Source: WMFE ]

Florida Hospital taps new leader for women's, children's facilities

Dr. Rajan Wadhawan has been tapped to lead both Florida Hospital for Children and Florida Hospital for Women, the hospital chain announced Monday. Wadhawan, 52, previously served as the chief medical officer and medical director of neonatology at Florida Hospital for Children. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Gov. Scott appeals major medical marijuana ruling

Less than three hours before a 5 p.m. deadline, Gov. Rick Scott’s administration Friday filed a notice to appeal a Tallahassee judge’s order that struck down a 2017 medical marijuana law as unconstitutional. [Source: WUSF]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida Hospital Tampa embarks on historic $256M expansion [News Release]
Florida Hospital Tampa, part of Adventist Health System, has broken ground on a six-story, 300,000-square-foot patient and surgical tower at the corner of Fletcher Avenue and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Tampa.

› Hepatitis A on the rise in Pinellas County, Department of Health warns [WFTS]
The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County is recommending prevention and vaccination to combat a rise in hepatitis A cases in the county as well as in nearby areas of the state. As of October 22, 58 cases have been reported in Pinellas County and more than 180 in Florida. Similar increases have been reported in other states.

› Sarasota Memorial part of effort to sue opioid makers [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has joined a groundswell of close to 2,000 states, counties, cities and hospitals that have filed lawsuits claiming that the makers of powerfully addictive -- and profitable -- opioid painkillers should help bear the crippling public costs of addressing damage inflicted by their prescription drugs.

› Florida Hospital puts shuttered Oceanside in Ormond up for sale [Daytona Beach News Journal]
Florida Hospital has quietly put its Oceanside property up for sale with an asking price of $2.5 million. The 80-bed hospital has been shuttered since September 2017 when Hurricane Irma left the building severely damaged by water and wind.

Tags: Health Care eNews

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