Florida Medicaid expansion amendment delayed until 2028
The group trying to put Medicaid expansion on Florida voters’ ballots will aim for 2028, not the 2026 election as initially planned. The group, Florida Decides Healthcare, announced its refocused plan on Thursday, saying the decision was a result of a bill lawmakers passed earlier this year that changed the rules for getting citizen-led initiatives on the ballot. More from the Tampa Bay Times and AP News.
Private health insurers use AI to approve or deny care. Soon Medicare will, too.
The pilot program, designed to weed out wasteful, “low-value” services, amounts to a federal expansion of an unpopular process called prior authorization, which requires patients or someone on their medical team to seek insurance approval before proceeding with certain procedures, tests, and prescriptions. [Source: NBC News]
Abortion is down dramatically in Florida since six-week ban went into effect
Abortions in Florida dropped by nearly a third when the state banned the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy, according to a report by a national policy and research organization. "We found 27% fewer abortions provided by clinicians in Florida comparing the first halves of 2024 and 2025," said Isabel Docampo, a senior research associate at the progressive-leaning Guttmacher Institute. [Source: WUSF]
Whooping cough cases are on the rise in Florida and across the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the United States is experiencing a significant surge in whooping cough cases in 2025, marking one of the most concerning public health trends in recent years. More than 35,000 whooping cough cases were reported in 2024, a five-times increase from just 7,063 cases for all of 2023. Preliminary data from Global Statistics show that there have already been 8,485 cases of whooping cough reported in 2025, and that number only includes data through April. [Source: WESH]
Lawmaker revives bill to repeal Florida’s ‘free kill’ law after Gov. DeSantis veto
Nearly four months after Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill aimed at clearing the way for some people to pursue medical malpractice lawsuits over the deaths of family members, the proposal has reemerged for the 2026 legislative session. The proposal would repeal a 1990 law that prevents people ages 25 and older from seeking what are known as “non-economic” damages in medical-malpractice cases involving deaths of their parents. More from Health News Florida and Florida Politics.
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› Here’s why you may see a horse at your next hospital visit in South Florida
Holtz and other South Florida hospitals have long used therapy dogs to provide patients with emotional support, either by hiring handlers to bring in the furry companions or by having their own in-house therapy dogs to make more frequent rounds. Now, hospitals have begun to explore the same philosophy, but with horses.
› Sickle cell research center in St. Petersburg has grand opening
The Foundation For Sickle Cell Disease Research St. Petersburg Center for Excellence had its grand opening ceremony Sunday. The facility joins 14 other foundation-led centers across the state. It has been open for approximately two months. Offering various programs to help with case and medical management as well as social work services, the nonprofit’s team is dedicated to making a difference for sickle cell disease patients.
› Sarasota Memorial Health Care reaches agreement with Cigna
More than five years after Sarasota Memorial stopped accepting plans from Cigna health insurance, the health care system has reached an agreement with the Connecticut-based insurer. As of Oct. 1, those with Cigna’s commercial health insurance plans will have access to Sarasota Memorial Health Care System’s acute-care hospitals in Sarasota and Venice, its outpatient and urgent care center network as well as First Physicians Group physicians and affiliated providers.
› Former Rockledge hospital demolition will likely begin before end of 2025
Rockledge Regional Medical Center is slated to be demolished by the end of the year, city leaders told the community at special meeting held Sept. 24. The demolition process on the troubled property is expected to begin in October, with the main building's demolition beginning as soon as late December. The 298-bed facility closed its doors permanently on April 22 shortly after being purchased from Steward Health Care by Orlando Health after reports that the building had fallen into severe disrepair.