Federal officials shut down sales of ‘ruinous’ health insurance plans in Florida

Federal authorities have shut down a network of Florida companies that they say used aggressive, deceptive tactics to sell skimpy health insurance products that skirt requirements of the Affordable Care Act and left tens of thousands of people around the country with unpaid medical bills. See the full news release from the FTC and read the text of the ruling, plus read more from the New York Times, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and the Miami Herald.

Preterm birth rate continues to rise in Florida

Florida’s overall preterm birth rate continued to worsen, rising from 10.1 percent in 2016 to 10.2 percent in 2017. This is the third consecutive year that preterm birth rates have increased in Florida, according to the report. The state maintained its C grade. See the full 2018 Premature Birth Report Card for Florida and read more at the Orlando Sentinel.

Why health care has become such a big issue for Bill Nelson and other Democrats

The Florida Democrat once advised President Barack Obama against a sweeping healthcare overhaul and was on the defensive over the law in his 2012 campaign. Now, he's running as the last line of defense between Floridians and their healthcare. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

See also:
» Florida voters more concerned about health care, economy and immigration than guns

Can AI address health care's red tape problem?

Using AI-powered tools capable of processing vast amounts of data and making real-time recommendations, some hospitals, including one in Florida, and insurers are discovering that they can reduce administrative hours, especially in the areas of regulatory documentation and fraudulent claims. [Source: Harvard Business Review]

Florida Blue warns of health insurance scam

Company officials said people throughout Florida have reported receiving unsolicited, unauthorized automated calls talking about health insurance Open Enrollment and claiming to offer medical plans from insurers, including Blue Cross. Those calls are not from Florida Blue or anyone representing the company, officials said. [Source: Florida Times-Union]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› MDLive takes virtual visits to new level with artificial intelligence [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
Sunrise-based MDLive already offers virtual health care, connecting patients with doctors 24 hours a day, seven days a week, via mobile app, online video, or phone. But now, MDLive is taking its virtual service to the next level by incorporating automation and artificial intelligence.

› ACA open enrollment: Central Floridians have access to between 4 to 6 plans [Orlando Sentinel]
Floridians have access to seven insurance providers this year, but not all of them are offering plans in every county. Florida Blue is the only insurer that’s offering plans in all 67 counties.

› Broward Health fires general counsel amid alleged compliance violations [Modern Healthcare]
The Broward Health board fired its general counsel Lynn Barrett as the taxpayer-supported health system continues to struggle after a series of state and federal investigations related to alleged overspending, kickbacks and open-government law violations.

› Fitch Downgrades UF Health-Jacksonville, citing liquidity concern [Fierce Healthcare]
University of Florida Health-Jacksonville (UFH-J) saw its bond rating downgraded last week by one of the leading credit rating agencies. Fitch said it was issuing a revenue bond rating of BBB- to the 606-bed UFH-J, in part due to expected liquidity in the health system's balance sheet that failed to materialize.