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The 340B program was launched in 1992 when Congress empowered the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to encourage pharmaceutical companies to reduce outpatient drug prices for hospitals serving low-income populations. (jarmoluk/Pixabay)

FL patients face uncertain future amid prescription drug program challenges

The 340B Drug Pricing Program, designed to provide discounted medications to safety-net hospitals and clinics serving low-income populations…

Florida has one of the highest uninsured rates for children in the nation. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Roadblocks to health persist for kids in FL

Health insurance prospects for Florida kids are not improving, despite pushes to increase coverage rates in the state. Florida continues to deny …

Florida tiene una de las tasas de ni�os sin seguro m�s altas del pa�s. (Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock)

Obstáculos a la salud persisten para los niños en FL

Las perspectivas de seguro médico para los niños de Florida no están mejorando, a pesar de los esfuerzos para aumentar las tasas de …

The number of Florida eighth graders not proficient in math increased in the most recent Kids Count Data Book ranking from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Pixabay)

Kids Count report: Florida maintains in education, ranks 30th in child well-being

Florida is ranked 30th in the 2024 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The annual report ranks states on the overall condition …

The Gulf Coast Resilience Network spans Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. (preschoolinhsrlayout/Pixabay)

FL child care centers brace for above average hurricane season

The nonprofit organization Save the Children is collaborating with child care providers in Florida ahead of the upcoming hurricane season. The group …

Enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP reached a record high of nearly 94.5 million in April 2023. The federal government prohibited states from removing people from their rolls during the COVID-19 public health emergency. (Pixabay/192635)

Report: Florida among top states for children losing health coverage post-COVID

After Texas, a new report shows Florida has seen the second-largest decline in the number of children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health …

La inscripci�n en Medicaid y CHIP alcanz� un r�cord de casi 94.5 millones en abril de 2023. El gobierno federal prohibi� a los estados eliminar a personas de sus listas durante la emergencia de salud p�blica de COVID-19. (Pixabay/192635)

Informe: FL entre los estados con más niños que pierden cobertura médica post-COVID

Un nuevo informe muestra que Florida, después de Texas, ha experimentado la segunda mayor disminución en el número de niños …

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Florida's average cost of center-based child care for a toddler in 2021 amounts to 26% of a single mother's income in the state. (Pixabay)

Report: Child Care Costs Push FL Parents to Breaking Point

New data ranks Florida 31st in the country for overall child well-being, however, it showed parents are tapped out on child care costs. The Annie E…

A new report shows how at least 75 cities and towns have successfully blocked new dollar store projects, claiming the stores engage in predatory practices. (Pixabay)

Report: Chain 'Dollar Stores' Harmful Communities

Dollar-store chains are rapidly growing across the country, with more locations than McDonald's, Starbucks, Target and Walmart combined, according to …

In the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 federal legislation provided states with significant funding to ensure continuous Medicaid coverage of individuals enrolled in the program. But that is ending. (Pixabay)

FL Group Works to Keep Eligible People on Medicaid

As Florida "unwinds" from the COVID-19 public health emergency and returns its Medicaid program to pre-pandemic rules, there's a possibility that …

A group of 40 Florida-based organizations has sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis, urging the state to publish its plan for keeping people insured when the federal public health emergency expires. (Pixabay)

FL Child Uninsured Rate Stabilizes; Advocates Raise Future Concerns

While the Sunshine State ranks among the top 10 states with the highest rates of uninsured children, it did see more kids with health coverage during …

Orange County Convention Center food-service workers have been in negotiations with Sodexo since August. (Adobe Stock)

Orlando Food Service Workers Poised to Strike Beginning Today

Orange County Convention Center food-service workers have authorized a strike, and the window for that action opens today. Members of Unite Here …

Los trabajadores del servicio de comida del Centro de Convenciones del Condado de Orange llevan negociando con Sodexo desde agosto. (Adobe Stock)

Trabajadores de la industria de alimentación de Orlando dispuestos a ir a huelga

Trabajadores de la alimentación del Centro de Convenciones del Condado de Orange han autorizado una huelga, y la ventana para esa acción se …

Florida Healthy Kids administers the Florida Healthy Kids program for children ages 5 through 18. (Pixabay)

FL Families Urged to Sign Up for KidCare as CHIP Marks Silver Anniversary

As a program to improve health-insurance access for children celebrates its silver anniversary, there are calls to ensure it remains strong for the …

Farmworker families in Apopka benefit from a food distribution hosted by the Farmworker Association of Florida. (Yesica Ramirez)

Grants Fund Emergency Supports for Florida Farmworker Families

Florida farmworkers are getting some much-needed support thanks to a grant from the Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor Food Alliance (HEAL)…

The 340B Drug Pricing Program is an outpatient drug program. (HeungSoon/Pixabay)

Community Health Centers Call for Added Protections

Community health centers are calling on state and federal lawmakers for added protections against drug manufactures for drastically cutting them out o…

Through P-EBT, eligible schoolchildren receive temporary emergency nutrition benefits loaded on EBT cards that are used to purchase food. (Oleg Magni/Pexels)

Florida OK'd for More than $1B in P-EBT Funding for Children

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- After weeks of pressure on Gov. Ron DeSantis to apply for a one-time pandemic food-stamp program, this week Florida became the …

Nearly one in four adults living in households with children said they felt

Report Suggests FL Gains in Child Well-Being Could be Temporary

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- An annual report on child well-being underscores the need in Florida for specific action to repair the damage caused by the …

Since the start of the pandemic more than a year ago, Florida has paid nearly $30 billion in unemployment benefits. (Pexels)

Petition Urges FL Governor to Keep "Vital" Unemployment Benefits

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Laid-off workers are appealing to Gov. Ron DeSantis to reverse plans to terminate a federal pandemic assistance program that …

Gov. Ron DeSantis says his executive order waiving the work-search requirement for those getting unemployment benefits will likely end May 29. (Pixabay/Kalhh)

Laid-Off FL Workers Left to Make Do as Businesses Get Relief

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Laid-off workers who had to fight through Florida's broken unemployment system were promised relief with increased benefits. But…

According to Florida Voices for Health, Florida is one of only 12 states in the country that hasn't opted to expand its Medicaid program. (Adobe Stock)

Florida House Debates Medicaid Expansion

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida House today is to take up an amendment to its proposed health-care budget to expand Medicaid eligibility. Florida's …

Women between ages 75 and 79 are three times more likely than men to be living in poverty, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security. (Adobe Stock)

Pensions Could Solve Financial Woes for Retired FL Women

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The persistent pay gap between men and women often leads to less retirement income for women, and groups that support expanding …

Florida continues to resist calls and significant financial incentives to expand Medicaid eligibility for nearly all poor adults and children in the state. (Trimmel Gomes)

FL Misses Out on Medicaid Funding in COVID-19 Relief Package

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The pressure is on for states such as Florida to expand Medicaid, currently now missing out on billions of health-care subsidies …

Florida contin�a resistiendo significativas llamadas e incentivos financieros para expandir la elegibilidad de Medicaid para casi todos los adultos y ni�os pobres del estado. (Trimmel Gomes)

FL pierde financiación de Medicaid en el paquete de ayuda COVID-19

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Existe presión para que estados como Florida amplíen Medicaid, ahora que están perdiendo miles de millones de …

Florida Labor Day Celebrations Transformed into Day of Service

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - This Labor Day, Florida labor groups are holding events across the state to celebrate working people while also calling for …

About half of Florida's households (49.8%) have a member who lost income between March and June. (Pixabay)

Hunger Persists for FL Families Under Stalled Stimulus Package

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- There are urgent calls for legislators to act quickly to ensure all Florida families can meet their basic needs during and after …

Preocupaciones por el COVID-19 acaparan el Día de los Trabajadores

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Hoy el movimiento obrero recuerda a trabajadoras y trabajadores de todo el planeta que murieron o resultaron heridos en sus …

Casi dos terceras partes de los ni�os latinos que no tienen seguro viven en cinco estados, incluido Florida, seg�n datos del

El COVID-19 revela aumento de niños latinos sin seguro en Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- La crisis actual de salud COVID-19 pone en riesgo a muchos americanos que no cuentan con seguro médico, pero los niños …

More than 50,000 children in Florida have lost their health insurance coverage since 2016, according to the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. (rawpixel/Adobe Stock)

Without Medicaid Expansion, Florida Sees Increase in Uninsured Children

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - After almost a decade of steady improvement, the number of children without health insurance in Florida and the nation is on the …

According to an Annie E. Casey Foundation report, 1-in-10 Florida children lives in a neighborhood with concentrated poverty, and children of color are disproportionately impacted. (Engin_Akyurt/Pixabay)

Report: 459,000 of Florida’s Children Live in Concentrated Poverty

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A new report shows 459,000 Florida children, 11% of children in the state, live in neighborhoods with concentrated poverty…

Florida's minimum wage is set at $8.46 per hour. (Pixabay)

Pressure Mounts for Increasing Federal, State Minimum Wage to $15

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The battle to raise Florida's and the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour continues. Orlando attorney, entrepreneur…

Most low-income children rely on Medicaid and CHIP-funded programs, such as Florida KidCare, to meet their health needs, but fewer Florida children are enrolled. (Semevent/Pixabay)

Report: Nearly 70,000 FL Kids Lost Medicaid, KidCare Coverage in 2018

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Nationwide, over 828,000 fewer children were enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program …

Head Start and the expansion of state-funded programs since the 1990s have greatly increased access to preschool, according to Florida KIDS COUNT. (FeeLoona/Pixabay)

Study Shows Pre-K Boosts Academic Gains

TAMPA, Fla. – A new study shows kids who attend Pre-Kindergarten programs do better in reading, writing and math as they get older than those …

Many Panama City area residents displaced after Hurricane Michael are still living in tents. (Steve Lowe) <br />

Help Still Needed in Areas Hit Hardest by Hurricane Michael

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Today is the deadline for many displaced Panama City residents living in tents behind Forest Park Methodist Church to leave…

The uninsured rates for children increased at almost triple the rate in non-Medicaid expansion states than in states that have expanded Medicaid, according to the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. (SeppH/Pixabay)

Report: More Kids in Florida Without Health Coverage

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – For the first time in a decade, the number of children without health coverage in the United States has risen. According …

A new report offers a health check on states that have expanded Medicaid, and finds they're doing far better at covering low-income, rural residents than states like Florida, that have passed up Medicaid expansion. (Pixabay)

Report: Florida Saddled with Nation's Highest Uninsured Rates

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida isn't one of the 33 states that expanded its Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act, but if it had…

Un nuevo reporte ofrece un chequeo de salud a los estados que han ampliado Medicaid, y encuentra que les est� yendo mucho mejor en cuanto a cubrir a residentes rurales y debajo ingresos, que a estados como Florida, que dejaron pasar la expansi�n de Medicaid.

Informe: Florida carga con la más alta tasa de personas sin seguro del país.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Dos tercios de los estados han ampliado sus programas de Medicaid, pero Florida no es uno de estos. En consecuencia…

Only 16 percent of young parents ages 18 to 24 have completed an associate degree or higher, according to the latest KIDS COUNT policy report. (Pixabay)

Report: Florida's Young Adult Parents Need Help

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The sleepless nights and increased costs that come with parenthood can be a rude awakening for anyone, but the challenge is …

The farm bill, a large, multifaceted piece of legislation that impacts farm commodity prices and nutrition programs, expires Sept. 30. (Pixabay)

Farm Bill Faces Gridlock Over SNAP Work Rules

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Congress may not be able to finish the farm bill by the end of the month, when the old one expires. One deadlock is a …

Es poco probable que la decisi�n de la Suprema Corte de los EE.UU. en el caso Janus vs. AFSCME tenga un impacto directo en empleados sin sindicato de negocios privados, porque la Primera Enmienda restringe la acci�n gubernamental, pero no la conducta privada. (Pixabay)

Grupos laborales se unen luego de la sentencia SCOTUS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Dado que Florida ya es un estado con “derechos laborales”, no le impactó este miércoles el fallo …

The 2018 KIDS COUNT Data Book uses 16 indicators to rank each state across four domains � health, education, economic well-being and family and community � as an assessment of child well-being. (Pixabay)

Progress Continues in Florida's Child Well-Being

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – This year's child well-being index for the Sunshine State is showing improvements for kids living in high-poverty areas…

Varios grupos en representaci�n de los trabajadores de Florida est�n haciendo un llamado al pr�ximo gobernador de Florida para que apoye en la votaci�n la propuesta 2020 de $15 d�lares de salario m�nimo. (Pixabay)

Trabajadores de FL revelan agenda para el Gobernador y la Legislatura

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Varias organizaciones representantes de trabajadores de Florida circularon el documento llamado "An Agenda for Florida's …

Direct primary care is similar to a monthly service to a gym or online monthly service, where patients pay a flat rate directly to the physician, with no insurance involvement. (Pixabay)

Scott to Decide on Direct Care for Doctor, Patients

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – As states look to make changes to health care affordability and accessibility, Florida lawmakers passed a new bill that can …

The U.S. House and Senate agreed to budget deals that ensure funding will continue for two years for Community Health Centers. (Pixabay)

Florida's Community Health Centers Thankful for Federal Funding

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — In a rare show of bipartisanship, Republican and Democratic Senate leaders announced a two-year budget deal that would …

Between July 2016 and June 2017, short-term lenders in Florida approved $3 billion in loans to consumers with fees totaling $306 million. (Taber Andrew Bain/Flickr)

FL Groups Concerned Over Possible "Gifts" to Payday Lenders

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The payday lending industry has filed its first bill in the Florida Legislature in nearly two decades, as it tries to fight …

As the movement to transform higher education grows in Florida, a new report reveals the extent of faculty poverty. (Pixabay)

Report: Adjunct Faculty Living in Poverty

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – From skipping meals and having their utilities cut off to even delaying medical treatment, a survey of nearly 800 faculty …

The USDA's Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive program provides grants to state and local governments and nonprofit organizations to create incentives for food stamp recipients to shop at farmers' markets and other fresh food outlets. (Frenchtown Farmers Market)

Double Your Cash at Local Farmers' Market

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Farmers' markets are pulling out all of the stops as a guilt free alternative as many people stuff themselves silly during …

A core objective of Florida�s Action for Dental Health is to maximize the utilization and capacity of Florida�s current dental workforce to optimally serve Floridians with preventive and therapeutic dental care. (Pixabay)

Proposed Bills Could Help Oral Health in Rural Communities

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- After being vetoed two years ago, there are new bills in the Florida Legislature that would establish a dental student loan …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 18, 2024

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FL: Poverty Issues