It\u2019s an extension of the findings from the Alliance\u2019s 2020-24 Florida Hospital GME Match Rates & Quality report<\/a>, which found that Safety Net systems are not only filling nearly all their residency slots, but doing so at rates above both the statewide and national averages.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s numbers reinforce those findings.<\/p>\n According to the Alliance, Safety Net Hospitals draw nearly half of all new residents choosing to train in the state. Their combined Match Rate reached 100% after the supplemental match, and their newer GME programs continue to post perfect fills year after year \u2014 a sign, the group argues, that program quality matters more than program age.<\/p>\n \u201cThis 2025 data proves, once and for all, that Safety Net Hospitals set the pace for training the next generation of Florida\u2019s doctors. Safety Net Hospitals comprise only 14% of hospitals, yet almost 50% of the new doctors are choosing our hospitals to complete their training,\u201d said Safety Net Hospitals President & COO Lindy Kennedy.<\/p>\n \u201dThis is because medical school graduates seek out high-quality programs when considering where to do their training. For Florida families, that means more communities gaining access to well-trained, compassionate doctors.\u201d<\/p>\n Statewide trends are moving in the same direction. Since 2020, Florida has increased the number of new doctors in training by nearly 50%, expanded GME slots by more than 40%, and increased the number of hospitals administering GME from 58 to 65.<\/p>\n \u201cExcellence in care and excellence in training go hand in hand, and that is why our hospitals consistently lead in both. Every physician we train represents another step toward ensuring every Florida family continues to have access to outstanding care close to home,\u201d Safety Net Hospitals CEO Justin Senior said.<\/p>\n \u2014 Tick Tock \u2014<\/p>\n As the calendar ticks toward the Dec. 31 expiration of the enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, Florida health advocates are sounding increasingly alarmed about what they describe as a slow-moving but entirely predictable coverage shock.<\/p>\n Multiple recent reports point to the same conclusion: Florida has the most to lose if Congress allows the subsidies to lapse. Roughly 4.7 million Floridians<\/a> are enrolled in ACA marketplace plans \u2014 more than any other state \u2014 and about a quarter of all non-elderly residents rely on the marketplace for coverage.<\/p>\n Analysts warn that premiums could spike dramatically without the enhanced credits, with some estimates projecting average increases of more than 100%<\/a> for subsidized enrollees. That kind of jump would price out as many as 1.4 million Floridians<\/a>, according to Florida Voices for Health, and leave many others making trade-offs between health care and basic necessities.<\/p>\n Carriers, meanwhile, have signaled steep rate increases if federal support ends, which could trigger a classic \u201cdeath spiral.\u201d As younger people are priced out, the pool of insured Floridians shrinks, raising average risk and, by extension, premiums for those who maintain coverage.<\/p>\n Florida\u2019s lack of Medicaid expansion leaves many of those priced out of marketplace plans without a fallback option. With the deadline now weeks away, stakeholders are urging Congress to extend the credits before the state tumbles off what they say is a preventable coverage cliff.<\/p>\n Floridians can estimate how much their premiums would increase if the credits aren\u2019t extended via KFF\u2019s calculator<\/a>, which accounts for required contribution caps released by the IRS for 2026 and updated federal poverty guidelines.<\/p>\n \u2014 Cracks in the infrastructure \u2014<\/p>\n A new national analysis warns that the country\u2019s unpaid family caregiver network is nearing a breaking point, with Florida landing in the middle of the pack for overall burden but still facing steep pressure points.<\/p>\n The report<\/a> on the \u201cinvisible infrastructure,\u201d released by Seniorly, finds that 38 million Americans provide an average of 3.9 hours of unpaid eldercare each day, up sharply from a decade ago. The trend is driven by rising life expectancy, the rapid growth of the 85-plus population, projected to more than double by 2050, and the escalating cost of home- and community-based services.<\/p>\n Florida ranked No. 28 for overall caregiver strain, but the state still posted some red flags. It had the worst ratio in the nation of residents receiving Medicaid home-based services to those stuck on waiting lists and one of the highest shares of multigenerational households. This structure lends itself to constant caregiving.<\/p>\n Adult day care is comparatively affordable, with a median cost of $85 per day. Still, annual home health costs roughly 1.24 times higher than the median income of senior households, showing how paid support is out of reach for many Florida seniors.<\/p>\n The study also highlights the toll on caregivers themselves: higher rates of depression and deteriorating health, reduced work hours, and lost wages and benefits. The financial impacts are estimated to exceed $1 trillion a year nationwide, according to an analysis by the nonprofit National Partnership for Women & Families<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2014 Power leader \u2014<\/p>\n Simply Healthcare\u2019s Medicaid Plan President Dana Gryniuk was recently named one of the South Florida Business Journal\u2019s 2025 Power Leaders<\/a> in Health Care. She oversees the Florida-based Medicaid plan\u2019s delivery of patient-centered and whole-person care to more than 675,000 Medicaid and Florida Healthy Kids members.\u00a0<\/p>\n Gryniuk is instrumental in crafting the evolving landscape of health policy and care delivery for Floridians. Through her leadership, Simply Healthcare consistently launches innovative initiatives that expand access to care and positively transform lives. Recently, these efforts have included the Florida Self-Sufficiency Council<\/a>, statewide health literacy<\/a> efforts and enhanced mental health support services<\/a> at Wolfson Children\u2019s Hospital, among numerous other impactful projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n Testifying before the Florida House Health Care Budget Subcommittee on Tuesday, November 18, as part of a panel of Medicaid providers, Gryniuk underscored Simply Healthcare\u2019s core philosophy of empowering Floridians to be proactive in their health and well-being.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe like to empower our members in their health care journey,\u201d she said. \u201cWe want to educate them on the options that they have being served by a Managed Care Plan \u2014 whether it\u2019s value-added benefits, whether it\u2019s wraparound services. Is it food insecurity? Are they looking for employment? We want to be able to help mom, dad, grandma or any legal guardian in empowering them to have a better health care experience.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Holiday cheer \u2014<\/p>\n The Tampa General Hospital Foundation is teaming up once again with jewelry designer Kendra Scott for a holiday-season fundraiser benefiting Muma Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n This year, a young patient got the opportunity to design her own line to help others.<\/p>\n Charlize Davis, now 10, survived a devastating house fire last year and has spent the months since undergoing ongoing procedures at Muma Children\u2019s Hospital at TGH. Her mother describes the hospital as the family\u2019s \u201canchor\u201d through a long and challenging recovery.<\/p>\n \u201cThe exceptional medical care, paired with the love, kindness and remarkable encouragement from the doctors, nurses and staff at Muma Children\u2019s Hospital, transformed an unbearably dark time into one filled with hope,\u201d Jamie Davis said.<\/p>\n Charlize returns to the hospital monthly for procedures that she\u2019ll need for a few years and is known for her courage and positivity. She was invited to Scott\u2019s shop at Hyde Park Village in Tampa to design personalized pendants as part of the Kendra Gives Back program. She created the Brave Heart Collection by Charlize, which her mom said reflects Charlize\u2019s spirit.<\/p>\n \u201cCreating this collection is her way of giving back, celebrating the hospital that continues to change her life, and helping other children receive the same level of care,\u201d Davis said.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite everything she has been through, Charlize remains the same loving child who sings and dances in the hallways, hugs everyone she meets, and believes every day is full of rainbows. That joy shines through every colorful piece in this collection \u2014 a little girl with a huge heart and extraordinary resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n Kendra Scott will host an in-store fundraiser benefiting Muma Children\u2019s Hospital from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at its Hyde Park location, with 20% of sales supporting the Child Life Fund, which provides toys, games and enrichment activities for pediatric patients.<\/p>\n Both the Brave Heart Collection and the TGH Blue Collection are available online<\/a>. Shoppers can also use code GIVEBACK-TGH2025 at kendrascott.com from Dec. 9-18 to direct 20% of their purchase to Muma Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n \u2014 ICYMI \u2014<\/p>\n \u201cActivists have right to leaflet within 5 feet of Clearwater abortion clinic, appeals court says<\/a>\u201d via Liv Caputo of Florida Phoenix \u2014 Anti-abortion activists have the right to hand leaflets to women in the driveway of a Clearwater abortion clinic, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday. In a 2-to-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit tossed a trial judge\u2019s decision preventing the Florida Preborn Rescue organization from entering within 5 feet of the Bread and Roses Women\u2019s Health Center\u2019s driveway. Instead, the lower court must pause the Clearwater ordinance preventing the group \u2014 and any other pedestrians \u2014 from entering the center\u2019s \u201cbuffer zone\u201d \u2014 a 38-foot stretch of public sidewalk, 28 feet of which cross the clinic\u2019s driveway. \u201cThe Ordinance seriously burdens Florida Preborn\u2019s speech \u2026 by restricting the sidewalk counselors\u2019 ability to distribute leaflets to patients as they arrive at the clinic,\u201d the majority opinion reads.<\/p>\n \u201cBills would expand health care providers\u2019 right to sue under 2023 medical conscience objection law<\/a>\u201d via Christine Sexton of Florida Phoenix \u2014 Health care providers and insurers in Florida could opt out of providing or paying for health care services, such as abortion, that violate their conscience and under a 2023 state law, they cannot be sued in court for denying the care based on their beliefs. A pair of Republicans have filed bills that would allow health care providers and insurance companies to file lawsuits seeking damages, injunctive relief, and attorney fees for adverse actions taken against them for exercising their medical conscience rights. Rep. Dean Black sponsors HB 551; Sen. Clay Yarborough is offering the identical Senate companion bill, SB 670. \u201cWell, I think in this situation, the concern is that a provider \u2014 a doctor, a nurse, a lab tech \u2014 whatever, is being compelled to perform a service that violates their conscience. \u2026 So, think, you know, being forced to perform transgender surgery or an abortion, something like that,\u201d Black said.<\/p>\n \u201cState\u2019s federal Medicaid payment undermines Ron DeSantis claim about Hope Florida donation<\/a>\u201d via Jeffrey Schweers of the Orlando Sentinel \u2014 Florida\u2019s $10 million diversion from a Medicaid fraud settlement to the Governor\u2019s favored Hope Florida charity is facing new scrutiny after state payment records show Florida repaid the federal government based on the full $67 million settlement, contradicting earlier claims that the $10 million wasn\u2019t Medicaid money. DeSantis had called the donation a discretionary \u201ccherry on the top,\u201d but the state\u2019s 57% federal pass-through indicates otherwise. \u201cNot only did we lose $10 million, but we are still paying the feds back for it,\u201d said Rep. Alex Andrade, who led the Legislature\u2019s probe and argues the entire settlement \u201cwas Medicaid money.\u201d The repayment revelation deepens a scandal that sparked investigations, fueled criticism of Casey DeSantis\u2019 Hope Florida network, and raised allegations that Medicaid funds were steered into political fights.<\/p>\n \u201cFlorida\u2019s health department eyes changes to childhood immunizations<\/a>\u201d via Katelyn Ferral of the Tampa Bay Times \u2014 State health officials will meet Dec. 12 in Panama City Beach to begin rolling back childhood immunization requirements, three months after DeSantis and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced plans to end all vaccine mandates. The Department of Health will review administrative-code vaccine rules, including chickenpox, hepatitis B, Hib and pneumococcal shots, which the agency can change without legislators. Other long-required vaccines, such as polio and mumps, are written into statute and cannot be removed without a bill and none has been filed. Florida would become the first state to scale back school vaccine mandates, even as kindergarten vaccination rates fall and health experts warn of increased risk to vulnerable children. DeSantis and Ladapo frame the move as a protection of personal freedom.<\/p>\n \u2014 RULES \u2014<\/p>\n The Board of Osteopathic Medicine\u2019s final rule regarding physician assistant fees (64B15-6.013) goes into effect on Dec. 15. More here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Board of Medicine\u2019s final rule regarding physician assistant fees (64B15-6.019) goes into effect on Dec. 15. More here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Board of Pharmacy\u2019s final rule regarding pharmacist licensure and pharmacist technician registration by endorsement goes into effect Dec. 14. More here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling\u2019s final rule regarding application for licensure endorsement goes into effect Dec. 14. More here<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Safety-Net-Hospitals-Large-640x359.jpeg\")
<\/a>Florida\u2019s Safety Net Hospitals lead the state in doctor training, matching, and retention, new data shows.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moore_ad.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Affordable-Care-Act-Large-640x427.jpeg\")
<\/a>Florida advocates warn ACA subsidy expiration could double premiums, risking coverage losses for millions statewide.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/fachc_ad.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/family-caregiver-network-640x349.jpeg\")
<\/a>Report warns Florida caregivers face mounting strain as unpaid eldercare demand rises amid aging population.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/fhca_ad-e1756311266335.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dana-Gryniuk-copy-640x361.jpg\")
<\/a>Simply Healthcare Medicaid President Dana Gryniuk was named a South Florida Business Journal 2025 Power Leader in health.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/tampageneral_ad.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Charlize-Davis-640x427.jpg\")
<\/a>Charlize Davis designs a jewelry collection supporting the Muma Children\u2019s Hospital fundraiser after a courageous recovery journey there.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2224700-Care-FL-Caregiver-Digital-Banner-Ads600x400.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Dean-Black-Clay-Yarborough-640x360.jpg\")
<\/a>Dean Black and Clay Yarborough file bills expanding medical conscience protections, allowing providers to sue.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025-10-10_BaptistHealth_MD_Sunburn_600x300.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/rizo-copy-640x360.jpg\")
<\/a>Happy birthday to Alex Rizo, wishing success, good health, and continued service to Florida communities.<\/p>\n