Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan NicolOctober 10, 2018

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is making pre-emptive requests to several federal agencies, asking for help while Hurricane Michael moves through the state. Michael is currently a Category 4 storm. The Florida Panhandle is already feeling its effects as it moves in from the Gulf Coast. Rubio sent three separate letters to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, […]

Ryan NicolJune 28, 2018

Migrant-children-walk-outside-at-the-Homestead-Temporary-Shelter-for-Unaccompanied-Children.jpg

After repeated questioning by U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and others, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General has announced an investigation of the agency’s handling of migrant children separated from parents at the border. The investigation will focus on shelters run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, an office within HHS. “We will […]

Ryan NicolJune 26, 2018

Bill Nelson has been asking questions since last week about the 70 migrant children housed at a Homestead facility after being separated from their parents. On Tuesday, he was able to get some answers during an interview with Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar. The conversation, which took place during a Senate Finance […]

Ryan NicolJune 19, 2018

Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz say they were denied access Tuesday to a Homestead facility housing around 1,000 migrant children, despite earlier assurances they would be allowed entry. “Heading to Homestead, Florida tomorrow to check on the roughly 1,000 migrant children reportedly being held there,” Nelson wrote yesterday on Twitter. He also criticized […]

Ryan NicolMay 16, 2018

South Florida Reps. Ted Deutch and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen signed onto a bipartisan letter from Congressional members urging the Department of Health and Human Services to implement tools to help treat eating disorders in the U.S. The representatives took aim at HHS after what they say is a failure to promote training of health care workers […]

Ryan NicolMay 15, 2018

Florida regulators have barred enrollment of new autism therapists after an investigation uncovered widespread Medicaid fraud by some current providers. The focus of the investigation was a therapy called behavioral analysis, which aims to help the development of children with autism. Among other violations, a report by the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration showed […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 18, 2017

Zika season is all but upon us, and to that end Gov. Rick Scott visited Jacksonville Tuesday to discuss Florida’s ongoing struggles with Zika. Scott found himself messaging heavily around Zika in 2016, frustrated with President Barack Obama not doing as much as he could to fund Zika-related costs. In 2017, Scott has an ally in the White House — […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 17, 2017

Florida Gov. Rick Scott appears in Jacksonville with Vice-President Mike Pence Saturday, and the governor set up that meeting with some direct words about the future of Medicaid in the state. “Today, the State of Florida is requesting greater flexibility from the federal government in running our statewide Medicaid program so we can deliver high-quality care without […]

Melissa RossMay 13, 2015

Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown has sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell “requesting direct discussions” with HHS to prevent closing UF Health in Jacksonville. “Jacksonville and other communities with safety-net hospitals must not be held hostage by the actions or inactions of decision-makers in Tallahassee,” Brown writes. A copy of the […]

James CallMarch 15, 2015

At the state Capitol this week the budget begins to take shape and Rep. Richard Corcoran increasingly becomes the man to watch. By the end of the week the Senate will have released its budget allocation and Corcoran and Sen. Tom Lee, the two chambers’ appropriation chairs, will move closer to center stage as a spending plan begins […]

Tag: HHS

Marco Rubio urging feds get proactive with Hurricane Michael aid

HHS Inspector General to investigate treatment of migrant children

Bill Nelson: Eight migrant children in Homestead facility still haven’t spoken with parents

Bill Nelson, Debbie Wasserman Schultz denied entry to Homestead facility housing migrant kids

Florida representatives join bipartisan call to implement eating disorder prevention programs

Medicaid fraud stalls enrollment of autism therapists in South Florida

Rick Scott optimistic about partnership with White House on Zika

Rick Scott to Feds: Give us a Medicaid block grant

Email insights: Alvin Brown requests “direct discussion” with HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell

The week ahead in Florida politics