Rep. Chip LaMarca (R-Lighthouse Point) is backing a call by two local hospitals to the Florida Legislature, Broward Health and Memorial Healthcare System, for broader authority over their health systems to boost collaboration, efficiency, and care for Broward County residents.
"Our two public health systems in Broward County employ nearly 30,000 people and are economic engines for our community. The opportunity for them to work more collaboratively would create better healthcare for the future of more than two million people living here in Broward County," Rep. LaMarca said in a statement to The Floridian.
The push, if enacted in Tallahassee, would ultimately allow the two organizations to work together without becoming entangled in antitrust laws banning anticompetitive behavior. Both healthcare systems also operate 11 hospitals in the county, making their request to lawmakers more paramount for approval.
Shane Strum (Pictured), President and CEO of Broward Health, is spearheading the measure to the legislature, despite its punting on the call in previous years.
The biggest opponent?
HCA Healthcare, which operates healthcare facilities in 20 states, including four hospitals in Broward County.
Strum argued that the closer alliance would improve healthcare quality, particularly for women and maternity care. He also pushed for the change to the Broward Legislative Delegation earlier this month.
Having some experience on the ways of the road, Strum was Gov. Ron DeSantis' chief of staff at the beginning of his first term. However, Strum dismissed the notion of the interlock being a political "merger."
Paul Tanner, the board chair overseeing Broward Health, also contended the collaboration would give the county's nearly 2 million residents better accessibility to care, given its population density, avoiding a preverbal healthcare gap.
Another Broward County lawmaker, Rep. Hillary Cassel (R-Dania Beach), is also backing the move, indicating to the Sun Sentinel she would sponsor a similar proposal for the 2026 legislative session, which begins in January.
“I am honored to sponsor this important legislation that will empower Broward County’s safety net hospitals to work together in new and innovative ways. These hospitals are the backbone of our community’s healthcare system—providing life-saving care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay," Cassel said in a statement to The Floridian.
By allowing greater collaboration, we can strengthen partnerships between Broward Health, Memorial Healthcare System, and other local providers to expand access, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes. This bill is about putting patients first and ensuring that our healthcare safety net remains strong and sustainable for generations to come," Cassel added.
The question now is, will it gain steam?
With the backing of Reps. LaMarca and Cassel, along with other local officials, could make the collaboration a reality heading into 2026.
