Florida’s employee health insurance trust fund could be exhausted if changes aren’t made
One of Florida’s most active government watchdog groups is recommending the state revise its treatment of chronic conditions to save the state employees health insurance trust fund and keep it solvent in the next five years. Florida TaxWatch issued its “Interdisciplinary Pain Management” report in the past week and the detailed analysis is advising the state to change its Employees Health Insurance and State Group Insurance Program (SGIP). The report advised the Trust Fund could face a $1.7 billion shortfall by fiscal year 2029-30 if no changes are made. [Source: Florida Politics]
At least 170 US hospitals face major flood risk. Experts say federal cuts will make it worse
KFF Health News has identified more than 170 U.S. hospitals - including 14 in Florida - at risk of significant and potentially dangerous flooding. At many of these hospitals, flooding from heavy storms has the potential to jeopardize patient care, block access to emergency rooms, and force evacuations. Sometimes there is no other hospital nearby. [Source: Health News Florida]
Florida removes 700,00 children from health ccare plan
Hundreds of thousands of American children have been removed from a health care plan in Florida in just over two years, according to data from KFF, a nonprofit health policy research and news organization. About 700,000 children were disenrolled from Medicaid in the state as part of the unwinding process happening nationwide after Medicaid coverage was expanded following the COVID-19 pandemic. [Source: Newsweek]
$4M or bust: State agency says it needs that much to keep Canadian Rx importation efforts alive
The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis may ask the Legislature for an additional $4 million to maintain a warehouse in Lakeland for the state’s Canadian Prescription Drug Importation Program. Florida was the first state to gain approval to import prescription drugs from Canada when the Food and Drug Administration gave the state the green light in January 2024 for a two-year pilot project. But it continues to face delays in implementation. [Source: Florida Phoenix]
Rural Floridians face healthcare crisis as tax credit expiration nears
Cancer patients in rural North Florida face a new threat: the possible expiration of Affordable Care Act tax credits and rising premiums. The White House says enhanced ACA tax credits will expire at the end of 2025 unless Congress acts. Without the credits, average premiums could jump from about $888 a year to nearly $1,900. In rural North Florida—where many counties are already medically underserved—that kind of increase would put even more pressure on families and public safety agencies. [Source: WTXL]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› 5,500 Florida Blue customers lose out in new deal with BayCare
A last-minute deal between Florida Blue and BayCare was welcome relief for 200,000 Tampa Bay residents at risk of being forced to change their doctor. But it wasn’t good news for every Florida Blue customer in the Tampa Bay region. The two sides failed to agree to a deal for primary physician care for roughly 5,500 seniors enrolled in a Florida Blue Medicare Advantage plan who will now have to change their primary care doctor or pay extra to continue using them as an out-of-network provider.
› Tallahassee commission moves forward on hospital sale negotiations with FSU
The Tallahassee City Commission voted Wednesday to begin negotiations with Florida State University on the potential sale of Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, moving forward on plans to create an academic health center in the city. The city owns the hospital property and assets. TMH and FSU are asking the commission to transfer the property to the university, which will lease it back to TMH. Under the plan, a 17-person board would control the assets, with TMH holding control of nine seats and FSU eight.
› Orlando Health Lake Mary becomes the county’s first milk depot for Florida mothers’
Orlando Health Lake Mary Hospital is the first in Seminole County to serve as a milk depot for the Mothers’ Milk Bank of Florida, supporting premature and at-risk infants. The hospital recently received a donation of 500 ounces of milk from Nicole Wirth of Sanford. This milk will support the nourishment of premature and at-risk infants, helping to reduce digestive tract infections and other health problems.
› Johns Hopkins All Children’s named Florida’s best pediatric hospital by U.S. News
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the top pediatric hospital in Florida for the fifth time in the past six years. The publication’s Best Children’s Hospitals rankings, released Tuesday, has analyzed specialty care at children’s hospitals annually since 2007 to help families and providers make informed decisions for kids with complex or critical medical needs.