Florida moves to license an alternative medicine abolished decades ago
After over 60 years, Florida is moving to once again license “naturopathic doctors.” It’s a move critics warn will permit the use of unproven and potentially dangerous treatments but supporters say could help alleviate the state’s worsening physician shortage and give patients a choice about their care. A bill (SB 688), which has been passed by the Legislature but not yet sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis, creates a state Board of Naturopathic Medicine to assist the Department of Health in overseeing naturopathic practitioners. [Source: Health News Florida]
$10B in healthcare funds headed to Florida hospitals that treat the poor, uninsured
Lawmakers won’t return to work on a state budget until they reconvene in a special session beginning May 12. But the Legislative Budget Commission this week agreed to give the green light to allow billions in healthcare dollars to flow to Florida hospitals. The joint House-Senate panel on Tuesday approved two budget amendments that, combined, allow the state Agency for Health Care Administration to spend more than $10 billion on Florida hospitals that treat the poor, elderly, and disabled who rely on Medicaid. More from the Florida Phoenix and the News Service of Florida.
Florida promised mental health reform. This family says the system still failed
Despite a new state law focused on mental health that passed last year, those who work in criminal justice on a daily basis say the system is clogged with people like him who have unaddressed mental health needs, causing an increased caseload that criminalizes mental illness more than it protects public safety. The problems can snowball under programs meant to keep defendants with mental illness out of jail. When authorities respond under the Baker Act — a Florida law that allows someone who may be a danger to be involuntarily detained and evaluated for mental health treatment — it often leads to more arrests on serious charges like resisting an officer. [Source: WGCU]
Senate budget chief: No health insurance cost hike for state employees next year
Tens of thousands of state workers as well as those working for state colleges can expect their health insurance premiums to remain the same for another year, according to the Florida Senate budget chair. Sen. Ed Hooper, R-Clearwater, made the comment last week while answering questions from reporters about the coming special session on the budget scheduled to start May 12. [Source: Florida Phoenix]
Florida families caring for medically fragile children say system is failing them
A medically fragile child is defined as someone who requires a skilled nurse around the clock. According to Matthew Dietz, a disability rights lawyer and professor at Nova Southeastern University, there are between 7,500 and 10,000 medically fragile children in Florida. “Very few of them get 100 percent of the care that they need,” said Dietz, “The hours could range between 50 percent to 80 percent of what they are granted.” [Source: Click Orlando]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Women doctors lead growth in Southwest Florida care
Healthcare systems in Southwest Florida are placing greater emphasis on medical service lines so residents — full-time or seasonal — don’t need to travel for access to medical excellence. From cardiac care to orthopedic surgery, and from children’s care to cutting-edge cancer treatment, the message from providers is clear: You can stay here for world-class service. This is especially true for women’s health services.
› Will Florida Blue and these two Broward hospitals make a deal?
Nearly 10 months. That’s how long people who have a health plan under Florida Blue or one of its affiliates have been locked out of in-network care at Broward Health, the public health system that mainly serves northern Broward County, due to ongoing contract disputes. A similar dispute has left Florida Blue members unable to access in-network care at Memorial Healthcare System, the public health system that primarily serves southern Broward, for nearly eight months.
› HCA opens downtown Orlando's first freestanding ER
Downtown Orlando's first freestanding emergency room has opened. HCA Florida Healthcare, part of Nashville-based HCA Healthcare Inc., opened its $21 million HCA Florida Downtown Emergency on April 28. The facility offers imaging and laboratory services on-site and has 11 patient bays. The facility is the closest ER to the center of downtown and opens amid high demand at nearby Orlando Health and AdventHealth hospitals.
› Tallahassee NAACP files lawsuit to block hospital sale to FSU
A lawsuit has been filed attempting to block the sale of Tallahassee Memorial Hospital to Florida State University. The Tallahassee branch of the NAACP and a group of Tallahassee residents filed the lawsuit, saying the hospital would be operating without a license due to it and FSU still negotiating a lease. FSU reached an agreement with the city in March to pay almost $110 million for the hospital's assets, as well as pledge $250 million in short-term improvements to the hospital's healthcare offerings and over $1 billion over the long-term.