Medicaid surge means major workload for Florida

Florida has seen Medicaid enrollments skyrocket since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the agency responsible for registering and removing people from the health care program is overwhelmed. Mark Mahoney, a 16-year veteran of the Department of Children and Families and director of the Revenue Administration, told state economists last week to process Medicaid applications during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as applications from other social service programs, it was a monumental task.

The study found that Florida has the most expensive hospitals in the country

The Sunshine State has some of the most expensive hospitals in the country, according to a new study from the National Union of Nurses. Documenting the 100 most expensive hospitals in the country through cost-to-cost ratios, the National Nurses United Study found that 40 hospitals in Florida are among the most expensive, the most in any state. The second was Texas, with only 14 hospitals on the list.

Doctors have asked DeSantis to allow stricter internal restrictions as COVID-19 cases rise

A coalition of doctors asked Governor Ron DeSantes to accept a request from some mayors to implement local coronavirus restrictions, including restrictions on commercial capacity and the enforcement of mask authorizations. Under an executive order signed by the governor, municipalities are prohibited from enacting stricter restrictions than statewide. In September, DeSantis lifted nearly all virus restrictions statewide.

Plan to import drugs into the United States and Florida faces legal challenges

An influential drug lobby is suing to end the Trump administration's plan to allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada into the United States. This could have major ramifications for Florida, as Governor Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump have highlighted government and federal efforts to lower the cost of prescriptions. DeSantis announced last week that a Florida import plan had been submitted to the federal government.

Florida dentists continue to provide care amid pandemic

The last nine months have been filled with snacking and stress, and this has never been more apparent than when dentists look inside their patients' mouths. "Part of the epidemic that we've seen a lot is that our teeth are cracked and broken, and this can come with grinding and grinding when people are under a lot of stress," said Dr. Britney Craig. Craig owns a family dental clinic in Tallahassee. In May, Governor Ron DeSantes approved the reopening of dental offices like the Craig Clinic for regular treatment of patients. Since the reopening, Craig has worked with thousands of dentists across the state treating patients under conditions imposed by the pandemic.