Medicaid

FILE - A physical therapist works with a patient at a field hospital operated by Care New England set up in a former bank call center to handle a surge of COVID-19 patients in Cranston, R.I, Dec. 14, 2020. Roughly 84 million people are covered by Medicaid, the government-sponsored program that's grown by 20 million people since January 2020, just before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Now, as states begin checking everyone’s eligibility for Medicaid for the first time in three years, as many as 14 million people could lose access to that coverage. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

Health

Millions who rely on Medicaid may be booted from the program

The Associated Press

As states begin checking everyone’s eligibility for Medicaid for the first time in three years, as many as 14 million people could lose access to that coverage.

Rates of uninsured children in Florida and across the country improved during the COVID-19 pandemic, but health policy experts warn those gains could be short-lived

John Davis

A new report from Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families finds that the rate of uninsured children nationally dropped from 5.7% to 5.4% between 2019 and 2021 and that the rate of uninsured kids in Florida fell from 7.6% to 7.3%. Health policy experts warn, these gains could be short-lived because when federal protections in the Families First Act expire, states will be reevaluating Medicaid eligibility requirements and that could happen as soon as April 2023. We take a closer look in a conversation with the lead author of the report, Georgetown University Center for Children and Families co-founder and Executive Director Joan Alker.

Rates of uninsured children in Florida and around the nation decreased in the COVID-19 pandemic, but gains could be short-lived

John Davis

A new report from Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families finds that the rate of uninsured children nationally dropped from 5.7% to 5.4% between 2019 and 2021 and that the rate of uninsured kids in Florida fell from 7.6% to 7.3%. Health policy experts warn, these gains could be short-lived because when federal protections in the Families First Act expire, states will be reevaluating Medicaid eligibility requirements. That could happen as soon as April 2023.

Florida medical boards advance plans to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors

John Davis

As Florida medical boards continue advancing proposed rules to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth living with gender dysphoria, we explore how gender-affirming care for minors is actually carried out. We also hear the story of one local family now getting gender-affirming care for their teenage sons.

Democrats/Health Care Advocates Urge FL Legislature to Pass Medicaid Expansion

John Davis

U.S. Rep. Cathy Castor, D-Tampa, and healthcare advocates held a media conference Monday to highlight a long-shot effort in the Florida House to expand Medicaid through the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.

In 2015, Medicaid spending topped $552 billion nationwide. People who receive both Medicaid and Medicare and people with disabilities account for more than half of Medicaid spending.

Medicaid Surge Means Major Workload For Florida

Florida has seen a spike in Medicaid enrollment since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the agency responsible for enrolling and disenrolling people in the health-care program is swamped.

Trump Talks Medicare/Rx Drug Prices at Ft. Myers Rally

John Davis

President Donald Trump’s campaign swing through Florida Friday included an invitation-only event in Downtown Fort Myers to highlight his administration's efforts to protect seniors.

COVID-19 Morning Update

John Davis

State health officials, Tuesday, reported a new record high number of coronavirus cases recorded in a single day since the pandemic began. The 2,783 cases reported June 16 bring the statewide total number of cases to 80,109.The Florida Department of Health also reported 55 new coronavirus-related deaths, Tuesday, increasing the statewide death toll to 2,993 fatalities including more than 1,500 deaths in long-term care facilities.

COVID-19 Morning Update

John Davis

The Florida Department of Health is reporting a surge of more than 500 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in one day, bringing the current total number of…

Gov. Ron DeSantis avoided directly answering whether Florida would take advantage of the new policy, which would allow the full costs of testing uninsured adults to be borne by the state Medicaid program.

Question Mark On Use Of Medicaid For COVID-19 Testing

News Service of Florida

States have been given authority to extend Medicaid to help pay the costs of COVID-19 testing for uninsured residents under a federal coronavirus relief...