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Wednesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
Florida’s complicated cost of living explained in four charts
Florida’s economy is on the mend. Unemployment is low, the gross domestic product has risen and population growth keeps a steady pipeline of cash flow into the state. But despite these benchmarks for the economy’s success, residents across Florida are still wrestling with drastic price increases. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Feds “deeply alarmed” after 360k Florida kids lose Medicaid, CHIP coverage
New figures show that 360,000 fewer Florida children were enrolled in subsidized health insurance plans this fall than earlier in the year, leading federal officials to blast the state for its management of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. In total, over 800,000 Florida residents have been removed from the state’s Medicaid program from March to September. About half of all terminated Floridians lost coverage for procedural reasons such as failing to update their contact information. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
U.S. intelligence finds Cuba tried to influence Florida races during 2022 elections
The Cuban government conducted influence operations in the United States “aimed at denigrating specific U.S. candidates in Florida” during the 2022 midterm elections, the U.S. intelligence community said in a report published Monday evening. The declassified portion of the intelligence assessment does not name any specific individuals who were targeted, and much of the report’s section on Cuba’s activities are redacted. The assessment also does not say how effective Havana’s influence campaign was on Florida’s elections. [Source: Miami Herald]
Life expectancy is dropping across the US. How long can Florida residents expect to live?
When it comes to how long you can expect to live, there's good news and a little bad news for Florida residents, along with the rest of the United States. From 2019 to 2020, life expectancy declined for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Life expectancy across the U.S. in 2021 was 76.4 years, a decrease of 0.6 from 2020. [Source: Daytona Beach News Journal]
Florida insurance market shows recovery signs after steep rate increases
Last year, lawmakers put new reforms in place, and now Florida’s insurance commissioner says the bleeding has stopped and the state is seeing improvements but is the industry finally in the clear? Many industry experts agree that while the state may not be completely out of the woods yet, there are signs of improvement on the horizon. Fort Myers Insurance Agent Doug Nellans with the Insurancenter said he would describe the overall feeling in the industry as cautiously optimistic about the market heading into 2024 as six new insurance companies open for business in Florida, giving homeowners more options. [Source: WBBH]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Approval for South Florida waterpark nixed by federal judge
Developers must toss their plans to build a waterpark, hotel, and retail center in South Florida, after a federal judge found that the National Park Service skipped environmental review of the project. “NPS put the cart before the horse,” Judge Patricia A. Seitz of the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida said on Tuesday.
› Florida Keys city to replace sewage wells following research findings
The Marathon City Council says it will end the use of shallow sewage wells, a move that could drastically reduce the pervasive pharmaceutical contamination in local fish populations uncovered by FIU scientists. The announcement was made following a settlement with the citizen-based group Friends of the Lower Keys, which filed a lawsuit against the city in 2022 for alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act.
› HCA Florida North Florida celebrates 50th anniversary by feeding 50,000 people
HCA Florida North Florida hospital officials are celebrating their 50th anniversary by giving back to the community. 10 hospital volunteers spent their morning sorting and preparing holiday food donations at the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank in Gainesville. Officials said addressing food insecurity in the local community is one of the main focus areas for the hospital as they hope to give back.
› Naming rights for Amway Center may be big deal for business. Here's why.
The renaming of the Amway Center presents a potential opportunity for whatever business lands the rights. The 20,000-seat arena — owned by the city of Orlando and built in 2010 — has been known as the Amway Center for its whole life thanks to a 10-year, $40 million contract with Ada, Michigan-based Amway Corp.
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