Medicaid

More than 900,000 Floridians could soon lose their Medicaid health insurance after a federal waiver for the COVID-19 pandemic expired.

Almost one million Floridians are expected to lose their Medicaid coverage on April 1st, and state officials say that's not a joke.

22 health-care organizations are seeking to bolster a legal challenge to a new Florida rule that prevents Medicaid from paying for treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender people.

States that haven't expanded Medicaid are more likely to restrict access to abortion and other reproductive care. Advocates say that makes it even more important for residents to get health coverage.

More than a hundred people attended an Agency for Healthcare Administration hearing in Tallahassee on a proposed rule prohibiting the state’s Medicaid program from covering gender-affirming treatments.

National and state legal and LGBTQ-advocacy groups are preparing to fight a move by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to deny Medicaid coverage for treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty-blocking medication for transgender people.

“In the mommy blog world, breast milk is called liquid gold and it’s done so for a reason," said Rep. Fiona McFarland (R-Sarasota).

While Medicare coverage might expand during congressional budget reconciliation in the fall, a move is underway to give Florida voters the say on whether their state should expand its Medicaid program to more recipients.

Florida could add 134,700 jobs, lower the number of uninsured residents by 852,000 and pump billions of additional federal dollars into the economy if it would expand Medicaid to low-income adults without children, according to a report released Thursday.

Florida is in the midst of what some call a “maternal mortality crisis” Officials say mothers are dying preventable deaths, often months after childbirth. Florida lawmakers are hoping to fight that by extending the time mothers can receive health coverage through Medicaid from the current 2-months, to a year.