Florida healthcare providers brace for Haitian workforce losses as TPS lapses
The state's largest nursing home association has asked the Department of Homeland Security to consider allowing Haitians with temporary protected status (TPS) to continue to work in long-term care and pursue "available lawful immigration pathways." Approximately 350,000 Haitian nationals nationwide hold TPS, of whom half are estimated to live in Florida. "If roughly one in five Haitian TPS holders works in healthcare occupations, as national workforce analyses indicate, as many as 35,000 healthcare workers in Florida could be affected by recent policy changes," a July 7 letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin from FHCA Chief Executive Officer J. Emmett Reed notes. The FHCA is the state's largest nursing home organization representing more than 650 facilities. [Source: Islander News]
Governor Ron DeSantis Approves Budget, Investing $49B in Healthcare Delivery
Governor Ron DeSantis signed the state budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, investing $49 billion in Florida's health care delivery system. Investments include workforce development, rural and maternal health expansion, $12 million in additional Graduate Medical Education funding, and $1.7 billion in additional funds to support projections for Florida's Medicaid and KidCare programs. "Investing in Florida's healthcare workforce development, supporting rural and maternal health initiatives and maintaining Medicaid reimbursement for hospital services that support care for Florida's children, the elderly, the disabled and low-income patients is essential to meeting the state's growing healthcare needs," said Florida Hospital Association President and CEO Mary C. Mayhew. [Source: South Florida Hospital News]
How the property tax amendment could reshape funding for Florida's public hospitals
Florida voters will decide in November whether to approve a constitutional amendment that would increase the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $250,000. Some public hospitals, including Halifax Health in Daytona Beach and Sarasota Memorial Hospital, receive funding through local property taxes — Halifax Health collected about $21 million in property tax revenue in 2024. On "The Florida Roundup," one expert warned that reduced revenue could force health systems to make difficult decisions about the services they provide. Property taxes generate nearly $8 billion in revenue across Florida. [Source: Health News Florida]
University of Miami Health System First in Florida to Use AI-Powered Heartflow PCI Navigator
Interventional cardiologists at the UHealth — University of Miami Health System are using the Heartflow PCI Navigator to simulate treatment strategies and personalize coronary interventions before entering the cardiac catheterization lab, marking the first use of the AI-powered platform in Florida. The technology lets physicians create a detailed, patient-specific 3D representation of coronary arteries using CT imaging, integrating data about blood flow, plaque composition and lesion severity into a single interface. "This technology gives us anatomy, biology and physiology in a one-stop platform," said Dr. Yiannis Chatzizisis, professor and chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. [Source: University of Miami Health]
Florida launches newborn genetic screening program
Florida families will have the opportunity this summer to enroll newborns in a new genetic screening initiative designed to identify hundreds of rare genetic diseases before symptoms appear. The Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases at Florida State University was designated by the Sunshine Genetics Act to lead and coordinate the statewide program, which aims to shorten what rare disease experts call the "diagnostic odyssey" by identifying genetic conditions shortly after birth. Rep. Adam Anderson, an FSU alumnus who championed the legislation after losing his son to Tay-Sachs disease, said: "My hope is that families will get the answers that they need and that babies born today won't have to live that same nightmare of that diagnostic odyssey." [Source: FSU News]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Cyclospora outbreak sickens 50 people in Florida, health officials say
A cyclospora outbreak has sickened 50 people in Florida, with health officials warning about the risks of consuming contaminated fresh produce. Dr. Guy El Helou, an infectious disease consultant, said the parasitic infection is more common during the summer months, typically between May and August, and is contracted by eating contaminated food — mostly fruits and vegetables. The illness can cause weeks of severe symptoms including watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloating, loss of appetite, nausea, and fatigue; the good news is that cyclosporiasis is treatable with antibiotics.
› 25-Year-Old Multi-Location Florida Healthcare Provider Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Silverman Chiropractic & Rehabilitation, a Miami-based chiropractic and accident rehabilitation clinic serving patients across South Florida, has initiated Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The company voluntarily filed its petition on July 8, 2026, and has been classified as a small business debtor moving ahead under Subchapter V proceedings. Operations span across Miami, Hialeah, Miramar, Hollywood, Doral, Kendall, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale.
› Don't swim at these 3 Miami-Dade beaches. What's in the water
The Florida Department of Health recommended swimmers avoid several Miami-Dade beaches after testing on July 9 revealed elevated levels of Enterococcus bacteria. Bark Beach, Golden Beach, and North Shore Ocean Terrace all received "poor" ratings, with the agency advising against any water-related activities at all three locations.
› DOH-Miami-Dade Issues Water Quality Health Advisory
The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County has issued a water quality advisory for Golden Beach, Bark Beach (79th St.), and North Shore Ocean Terrace (73rd St.) after tests completed on July 9, 2026, indicated water quality at those locations does not meet recreational water quality criteria for Enterococcus bacteria. DOH-Miami-Dade advises against any water-related activities at these locations due to an increased risk of illness in swimmers.