healthcare

Rep. Kat Cammack's (R-FL) Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act has passed the House, which will prohibit the denial of organ transplants to disabled Americans.  The bill expands upon the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 by clarifying that organ transplants cannot be denied to disabled individuals and prohibits covered entities from determining […]

Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) announced that the University of South Florida (USF) will receive nearly $14 million in a federal grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to support Affordable Care Act (ACA) “health navigators.” These navigators attempt to advise and assist families find the right healthcare plan for them. According to […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—Despite Gov. Ron DeSantis' recent efforts to beef up Florida's healthcare and transportation systems, a new report analyzing public safety and infrastructure has ranked the Sunshine State in the abysmally low 44th position. In other words, Florida's in the bottom ten. "Florida's low emergency health care ranking and lengthy commutes outweigh its decent bridge […]

Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) recently introduced the Harmonizing Environmental Analyses and Launching Therapeutic Hubs to Yield Bolstered Research and Innovation in Neurological Science (HEALTHY BRAINS) Act to the House. This bill looks into environmental risk factors such as toxicant exposure and neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s […]

TALLAHASSEE, FL—In a primary contest that is quickly escalating into a heated battle for the soon-to-be vacant Senate District 35 seat, Miramar Democrat Rodney Jacobs launched a new political advertisement blasting former Broward Mayor Barbara Sharief. The ad implies that Sharief, whose company was found to have overbilled Medicaid patients, "learned her skills" from her […]

US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has filed legislation aimed at improving military maternal healthcare vis-a-vis access and quality. The bill would statutorily redefine pregnancy and loss of pregnancy as ‘qualifying life events’ (QLE) under TRICARE to allow mothers to change their TRICARE plan. TRICARE is the military’s healthcare system. Under TRICARE, QLEs enable military personnel […]

Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) reintroduced the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, a bill that provides “immediate access to support and medical care for individuals with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who already qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and are therefore eligible for Medicare.” The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act is […]

Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) – a senior member of the Health Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives – and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) held a conversation with healthcare and biotech industry leaders in the Tampa Bay area to discuss the processes of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in hopes of facilitating “development of […]

MIAMI, FL—Governor Ron DeSantis signed three healthcare bills into law Tuesday at Nicklaus Children's Hospital, designed to expand certain insurance coverages and increase funding for cancer and rare disease research. "[Healthcare budget items] as well as the legislation I will sign here today will have a positive impact on the health...of our children," DeSantis said, […]

TAMPA, FL—In its final form, Governor Ron DeSantis approved this year's $116.5 billion budget while vetoing around $1 billion in projects, touting a staggering $17 billion surplus. "This is a budget that shows it can be done," DeSantis said at the Tampa press conference, applauding his "great" budget as a "mark of good leadership". "We […]

The US House of Representatives has approved Representative Greg Steube’s (R-FL) bill banning the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from using its resources to aid illegal immigrants. Representative Steube’s legislation was an amendment to a broader bill on military funding. Steube’s move was incited by VA officials admitting they assisted illegal immigrants process their medical […]

The US House of Representatives approved legislation earlier this week to end the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) prohibition on assisting veterans in accessing medical marijuana. According to current law, VA healthcare providers may not recommind, refer, or facilitate veterans’ access to marijuana, regardless of a patient’s state of residence. US Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) […]

US Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and 20 other Senators have jointly criticized a renewed push in the US Senate by Democrats to revive the ‘Right to Contraception’ Act, and now have blocked when the voted it down during a procedural vote by final count of 51 to 39. The Right to Contraception […]

US Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) recently filed legislation to shield Veterans from unexpected medical bills during their time receiving emergency care. The Emergency Community Care Notification Time Adjustment Act would extend the current deadline for notifying the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) of emergency treatment. Veterans and their families are currently required to notify the […]

Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL) has introduced the Maximizing Israel-U.S. Research Advancement and Collaborative Leadership in Emerging Medical Technology (MIRACLE) Act alongside Representatives Darren Soto (D-FL) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA). The bill is designed to do eight things according to Rep. Buchanan's Office: Promote research and development between the U.S. and Israel Support innovation hubs to […]

US Representative Gregory Steube’s (R-FL) Women’s Protection in Telehealth Act would prevent health care providers offering telehealth services for abortions from receiving Medicare funds. The act would prohibit access to medicare funds to health care providers who prescribe chemical abortion pills without physically examining a patient prior to such prescription. A single telehealth abortion-related service […]

Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and four of his colleagues in the House have introduced the Medicare Enrollment Protection Act of 2024. The bill will attempt to “protect seniors from coverage gaps in Medicare” by closing loopholes in the system. Current law penalizes anyone 65 or older who waits more than eight months after retiring or […]

Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Darren Soto (D-FL) announced they led a letter with 18 House Members urging President Joe Biden (D) to reverse course on its proposed rate notice to the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. The House Members worry that President Biden’s decision would spike medical costs for senior citizens enrolled in the program […]