Diagnosis For 7.25.22: Checking The Pulse Of Florida Health Care News And Policy

— Trans care battle coming to medical board? —

Gov Ron DeSantis wants to ensure no taxpayer dollars are spent on supplying gender-affirming care through the Florida Medicaid program.

But some worry that the administration will use the Florida Board of Medicine to prevent Florida physicians from providing gender-affirming care regardless of who’s paying. While the issue doesn’t appear on the agenda for the upcoming Aug. 5 Board of Medicine (BOM) meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, documents affirm the Governor’s position to block or curtail the care included in the 4,000-plus page “public book.” The massive public book generally contains information the board will discuss at the meeting.

University of Florida professor Michael Haller, M.D., worries that the board will move to adopt its standard of care for gender medicine outside of what already exists. The state hasn’t floated any specific rule language for consideration, and Haller says he doesn’t know how far the state is willing to take it.

Florida Board of Medicine members know the DeSantis administration’s interest in the issue. State Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo sent a letter to BOM members June 2 requesting that the issue be considered highlighting the recommendations he made earlier in the month that specific pharmaceutical, non-pharmaceutical, and surgical treatments for gender dysphoria not be used.

The board did not publicly discuss the issue.

But there have been new board members since that meeting, including Dr. Patrick Hunter, a Pensacola pediatrician. Hunter actively posts about trans care on his Twitter account, and among his followers are Chloe Cole, a 17-year-old from California who spoke at the state’s Medicaid meeting, and Partners for Ethical Care, which, according to its website, has the goal of raising awareness and supporting efforts to “stop the unethical treatment of children under the duplicitous banner of gender identity.”

Dr. Hunter is a general pediatrician and a clinical professor at Florida State University’s College of Medicine. He is also a veteran of the United States Army and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

DeSantis announced four appointees to the BOM on June 17.

If the BOM agrees to tackle the issue, it will be the third high-profile rule it’s proposing to change. The BOM is changing the rules for prescribing weight loss drugs. It also is defending its emergency rule on Brazilian Butt lifts.

I welcome your feedback, questions, and, especially, your tips. You can contact me by emailing me at SextonHealthNewsletter@gmail.com or call me at 850-251-2317.

— FMA PAC shows mostly Republicans the money —

The Florida Medical Association’s campaign arm, the FMA Political Action Committee, was formed nearly 50 years ago to help elect candidates who advocate the agenda of the group that works on behalf of the state’s physicians.

For years, the FMA had a stellar record in the Legislature; but the last few years, especially under then-House Speaker José Oliva, have resulted in legislation that the FMA did not support getting passed and signed into law.

Heading into the 2022 elections, the FMA has handed out campaign contributions worth more than $1.33 million during the current cycle, with a large portion going to Republicans.

The group’s largest single donation in April — $100,000 — went to the political committee backing DeSantis’ re-election.

But an analysis of campaign records shows the FMA has donated $300,000 to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, which is the committee controlled by Senate Republican leaders whose aim is to protect the GOP majority in the state Senate.

The FMA has also contributed $175,000 to the Republican Party of Florida, although $75,000 given in late April and May is on campaign records listed as intended for House Majority, an effort to help House Republicans keep control of the state House.

The Association has given $25,000 to the Florida Democratic Party over the last two years.

The Association has also made donations directly to political committees controlled by Republican legislative leaders, including those in the line of succession. Over the last two years, the FMA has given $72,500 to a political committee controlled by Sen. Ben Albritton, who is slated to become Senate president after the 2024 elections. Last year the FMA donated $40,000 to a political committee run by House Speaker Chris Sprowls.

The political committee controlled by Sen. Lori Berman, a Palm Beach County Democrat whose husband, Dr. Jeffrey Ganeles, is a periodontist and dental impact surgeon, has received a total of $25,000 in 2021 and 2022 from the FMA political action committee. The FMA has begun endorsing what it calls “pro-medicine” candidates and has chosen 16 legislators to support.

Campaign records show that some of the endorsed candidates have gotten financial support for their campaign accounts in recent weeks, although the committee has also given donations to legislative candidates it has not endorsed as of now, including a $1,000 contribution to the House campaign of Jennifer Canady, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Charles Canady.

— FHA PAC shows more money —

Another major health care group — the Florida Hospital Association — has made slightly more than $566,000 in campaign contributions through its political committee during the current election cycle.

The largest share of those donations — $185,000 — has gone to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, the central political committee that helps get GOP state Senators elected. Sen. Kathleen Passidomo leads the committee. She took over the organization last October from Senate President Wilton Simpson after the Senate GOP caucus designated her as the next President.

The FHA political committee, led by current FHA president and CEO Mary Mayhew, donated $40,000 in January to a separate political committee — Working Together for Florida — affiliated with Passidomo.

The hospital political committee has also contributed $110,000 to the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee led by Rep. Paul Renner, who is lined up to become Speaker later this year.

The FHA has contributed to campaign accounts of dozens of individual legislators and political committees run by top legislators. The FHA political committee has donated $35,000 to Conservatives for a Better Florida, the committee run by Rep. Daniel Perez, the Miami Republican in line to lead the Florida House after the 2024 elections.

Not all of FHA’s donations have gone to Republicans. Earlier this year, the group’s political committee contributed $15,000 to the Florida Democratic Party and $25,000 to the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.