Florida hospitals challenge organ-transplant proposal
Three major hospital systems have challenged a new state proposal about approving organ-transplant programs, alleging it does not include adequate safeguards for quality of care. The challenges, filed this month at the state Division of Administrative Hearings, came after years of debate and disputes about approving transplant programs. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Scope-of-practice fight looms over worsening dental access crisis
Floridians are struggling to access basic dental care, and trendlines suggest the challenge will only intensify if policymakers don’t act, according to data from the Well Florida Health Planning Council and Floridians for Dental Access. The organizations point to persistent shortages of dentists — particularly in rural counties — as a primary driver of rising costs and declining access. Many residents forgo routine care, allowing otherwise preventable conditions to progress until emergency treatment becomes the only option. [Source: Florida Politics]
Florida’s KidCare expansion in limbo as number of uninsured children jumps 20%
A state plan to expand subsidized health insurance for kids has remained in limbo for almost two years despite rising demand for coverage as more Florida children lose health insurance. About 8.5% of Florida children — roughly 403,000 kids — had no health coverage last year, according to an analysis of census data from Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families. That’s a 20% spike from 2022. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
AIF poll finds resounding support for health care tax credits
Florida voters overwhelmingly support extending enhanced premium health care tax credits set to expire at the end of the year, according to new polling from the Associated Industries of Florida Center for Political Strategy. The survey, conducted Aug. 25-27 by McLaughlin & Associates, found 79% of likely 2026 voters favor continuing the credits, which help small business owners and individuals purchase coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace. More than half (51%) said they “strongly approve.” [Source: Florida Politics]
Florida board expected to decide on COVID-19 vaccines at pharmacies Tuesday
A Florida board that oversees pharmacies is expected to decide on Tuesday whether properly certified pharmacy workers can give COVID-19 vaccines or RSV vaccines. The move comes after a federal vaccine panel declined to recommend COVID-19 shot guidelines last week, even to high-risk patients or seniors. The decision was meant to leave the decision up to doctors and individual patients. However, it also leads to confusion, as different states have different guidelines on who can administer a vaccine. [Source: Click Orlado]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› South Florida man, cancer survivor pays it forward to those undergoing chemotherapy
Steve Tellefsen is making the rounds at Memorial Health Care's chemo unit, visiting people who are fighting cancer as an understanding ear. He's not a doctor. He's a volunteer who survived cancer — and so much more. It took five brain surgeries, multiple rounds of cancer treatment and a tandem stem cell transplant; now he is five years cancer-free. He said his medical team at Memorial Healthcare never gave up.
› Nurses at HCA hospital in Fort Walton Beach vote to unionize
Nurses at HCA Florida Fort Walton Beach-Destin Hospital voted last week to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United. In an election that took place on Sept. 10-11, more than 65% of the hospital's nurses voted in favor of unionizing. They are among the first groups of nurses in the private sector to unionize in the Florida Panhandle area.
› Infant mortality efforts in Jacksonville face local funding cut, federal policy changes
Duval County’s infant mortality rate is higher than average for Florida, especially among Black babies. The challenges of closing the racial gap and reducing the overall rate of babies who die before their first birthday are the topics of a summit Tuesday in downtown Jacksonville — the same day that the Jacksonville City Council is expected to approve a budget that eliminates part of the mayor’s proposed funding for a program to reduce infant mortality.
› Alachua County experiencing increase in dementia cases due to aging population
According to the state health department's FL Health Charts, the elderly population in Alachua County alone has increased by 10,000 in under seven years. This trend has increased the number of dementia patients nationally and in Alachua. Although the number of dementia cases is rising, the rate at which dementia affects patients remains the same.