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Press Release: Expand Medicaid in Florida--COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Disparity, Deficiencies In Health Care System

3/7/2020

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
March 6, 2020 
CONTACT: ​
Blanca Mesa
305-794-3392

mesa@floridahealthjustice.org
Florida Health Justice Project: Expand Medicaid in Florida
COVID-19 Pandemic Exposes Disparity, Deficiencies In Health Care System

Miami, Florida, March 6, 2020 – In light of community spread of COVID-19, Florida Health Justice Project (FHJP) calls on the Florida legislature to expand Medicaid and invest in public health safety net programs.

Florida is one of just 14 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Florida’s refusal to take federal tax dollars to cover low-income adults under age 65 is undoubtedly linked to our status as the state with the fourth highest rate of uninsured individuals (13%). This has left 400,000 working poor residents without a path to health insurance.

“Medicaid expansion is a nonpartisan issue. So is disease,” said Miriam Harmatz, executive director of FHJP. “The COVID-19 pandemic exposes the vulnerability of a health system where a significant portion of the population is uninsured. How many more Floridians will suffer and die unnecessarily because they can’t afford testing and treatment? How many more Floridians will be exposed to this deadly pathogen because their uninsured neighbors and family members have foregone testing and treatment?”

Among the Floridians who would benefit from expanding Medicaid: low-income parents, parents and adults without children and low-income pregnant women. Since Americans primarily receive health insurance through their employers, individuals in financial distress from having lost their jobs – and health insurance – would benefit. If Florida were to expand Medicaid, it could reduce the number of uninsured residents by nearly one third.

COVID-19, and future pandemics, may well hasten the rate of illness and death rate of the uninsured, which cannot afford to access testing and treatment. Seniors ages 60 and up, who comprise over one-quarter of the population, are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 virus, with more complications and higher death rates. Between 2014 and 2017, almost 3,000 older Floridians died prematurely because of the state’s failure to expand its Medicaid program.

The impact of pandemics such as COVID-19 extends beyond the uninsured as individuals, those who are unable to afford testing and treatment may unknowingly risk infecting others. (Cognizant of the risks that come with healthcare cost barriers in the face of a pandemic, New York and Washington have taken the lead by requiring insurers to waive the costs associated with COVID-19 testing.)

Underfunded public hospitals, federally qualified health centers, emergency rooms, and scant charity care constitute the woefully inadequate health care safety net in Florida. Long lines, long waiting periods for appointments, and substandard care are often the reality. Instead of robustly supporting health care programs, Florida legislators continue to slash the state’s Medicaid budget, taking away coverage from Floridians who struggle to make ends meet and leaving them stuck without access to affordable health care coverage.

Expanding Medicaid would give health insurance to residents now in the “coverage gap,” including working parents. These are Floridians who have income below the federal poverty level – too low to qualify for tax credits under the ACA but too high to be eligible for Medicaid. In order to qualify for Medicaid in Florida, a family of three must earn just $6,825 or less per year. Adults without dependent children in Florida are unable to qualify for Medicaid benefits at any income.

The Florida Health Justice “Stories” project documents the struggles and challenges of living with illness or injury – and no path to adequate health care or health insurance – in order to educate Florida officials on the need to expand Medicaid. https://www.floridahealthstories.org/

“Unfortunately, it has taken a health crisis to shine a light on the needs of vulnerable Floridians, including children and seniors,” said Alison Yager, FHJP’s director of Policy Advocacy. “This is the moment to expand Medicaid and invest in a robust public health care system. In doing so, we can save lives and chip away at long-standing health inequities.”


RESOURCES AND HEALTH CARE INFORMATION:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/index.html

The Florida Department of Health has opened a COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121 and dedicated website: http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/COVID-19/index.html

The Florida Department of Health website has a county-by-county list of public health clinics that offer free or low-cost healthcare services. http://floridahealth.gov/all-county-locations.html

Federally qualified community health centers in Miami-Dade County that provide free or low-cost health care. http://miamidade.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/community-health-centers/index.html

Florida Health Justice Project recognizes that access to quality and affordable health care is a human right and engages in comprehensive advocacy to expand healthcare access and promote health equity for vulnerable Floridians through advocacy, storytelling, outreach, education and technical assistance and support. www.floridahealthjustice.org


​Florida Department of Health: Community Health Centers
Main Number
305-324-2400
miamidade@flhealth.gov

Primary care is the day-to-day healthcare given by a health care provider. Typically this provider acts as the first contact and principal point of continuing care for patients within a healthcare system, and coordinates other specialist care that the patient may need. Primary care includes health promotion, disease prevention, health maintenance, counseling, patient education, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses in a variety of health care settings (e.g., office, inpatient, critical care, long-term care, home care, day care, etc.).
Community Health Centers in Miami-Dade County
NORTHEAST

Drop-In Education & Access Center
681 NE 125th St., N Miami, FL 33161
(786) 476-1005

Borinquen Health Center – North Miami
708 NE 125th St., N Miami, FL 33161
(786) 433-8815

Borinquen Health Center - Women’s Center
12603 NE 7th Ave., N Miami, FL 33161
(305) 576-6611

Carrie Meek - Villa Patricia Towers
7801 NE 125th St., Miami, FL 33161
(786) 235–7020

Case Management Center
3550 Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 508, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 576-6611

Borinquen Health Center
100 NE 38th St., Suite 5, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 576-1599 or (305) 576-1675

Borinquen Health Center
3601 Federal Highway, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 576-6611

NORTHWEST

Borinquen Medical Centers of Flagler
5040 NW 7th St., Suite 170, Miami, FL 33126

Jessie Trice Community Health
5361 NW 22 Ave., Miami, FL 33142
(305) 637-6400

Jessie Trice Community Health
Flamingo Medical Center

901 E. 10 Ave, Bay 39, Miami, FL 33030
(305) 887-0004

Citrus Health Network
Primary Health Care Center

4125 W. 20 Ave., Hialeah, FL 33012
(305) 424-3120​

BEACHES

Jackson North Specialty and Diagnostic Center
100 NW 170th St., North Miami Beach, FL 33169
(305) 654-6850

Prevention Education & Treatment Center 
615 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 535-5540
 
Homeless Assistant Center
Chapman Center
1550 N Miami Ave., Miami, FL 33136
(305) 329-3000

Little Havana Activities and Nutrition Center
720 SW 8 St., Miami, FL 33130
(305) 858-0887

Miami Beach Community Health Center
12340 NE 6 Ct., N. Miami, FL 33161
(305) 538-8835

Jackson Memorial Hospital
Ambulatory Care Center
1611 NW 9 Ave., Miami FL 33136
(305) 585-6000
 
Miami Beach Community Health
Stanley C. Myers Center
710 Alton Rd., Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 538-8835

Miami Beach Community Health
Beverly Press Center
1221 71 St., Miami Beach, FL 33140
(305) 538-8835

Miami Beach Community Health
Center for Haitian Studies
8260 NE 2 Ave., Miami, FL 33138
(305) 757-9555
SOUTH

Homeless Assistance Health Center
28205 SW 125th Ave., Homestead, FL 33039
(305) 416-7156

CHI Martin Luther King, Jr.
Clínica Campesina

810 W Mowry St., Miami, FL 33030
(305) 248-4334
 
Good Shepard Health Center
Greer Building

336 NW 5th St., Miami, FL 33128-1616
(305) 577-4840

Camillus Health Concern, Inc.
336 NW 5th St., Miami, FL 33128
(305) 577-4840 and (305) 374-1065

Dr. Rafael A. Penalver Clinic 
971 NW 2nd St., Miami, FL 33128
(305) 325-3450

Jefferson Reaves Senior Health Center
1009 NW 5th Ave.,
Miami, FL 33136
(305) 585-6000

Camillus Health Clinic
1545 NW 7th Ave., Miami, FL 33136
(305) 577-4840

Mother Teresa Sister of Charity
724 NW 17th St., Miami, FL 33136
(305) 577-4840

North Dade Health Center
16555 NW 25th Ave., M. Gardens FL 33054
(786) 466-1500

St. John Bosco Clinic
730 NW 34th St., Miami, FL 33127
(305) 635-1335

Jessie Trice Center for Community Health
Norland Family Health Center
18360 NW 7 Ave., Miami, FL 33169
(305) 650-9551

Jessie Trice Center for Community Health
James E. Scott Center

7200 NW 22 Ave., Miami, FL 33142
(305) 835-8122

Jessie Trice Center for Community Health
Jefferson Reaves Women’s Residential 

2985 NW 54 St., Miami, FL 33142
(305) 637-6498

Families-R-Us Care Center
8000 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33138
(305) 759-4778
 
Borinquen Health Center – West Dade 
10528 SW 8th St., Miami, FL 33174
(305) 552-1201

CHI Doris Ison Center
10300 SW 216 St., Miami, FL 33190
(305) 253-5100 ext.277

CHI Everglades Health Center
19300 SW 376 St., FL City, FL 33034
(305) 246-4607

CHI Naranja Community Health Center
13805 SW 264 St., Miami, FL 33032
(305) 258-1207

CHI South Dade Center
13600 SW 312 St., Homestead, FL 33033
(305) 242-6069

CHI West Perrine Center
9970 SW 178th St., Miami FL 33147
(305) 252-4487

Good News Care Center
101 S Redland Rd., FL City, FL 33034
(305) 246 2844

Homestead Community Based
Outpatient Clinic

950 Krome Ave. # 401, Homestead, FL 33030
(305) 248-0874

Open Door Health Center
1350 SW 4 St., Homestead FL 33030
(305) 246-2400

Rosie Lee Wesley Health Center
6601 SW 62nd Ave., Miami, FL 33143
(786) 466-6900
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The Florida Health Justice Project, a nonprofit organization, recognizes that access to quality and affordable health care is a human right and engages in comprehensive advocacy to expand healthcare access and promote health equity for vulnerable Floridians.
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE WITHIN THE STATE AT 1-800-435-7352 .  IT CAN ALSO BE FOUND AT WWW.800HELPFLA.COM.  REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE STATE.
  • Our Work
    • 2023 End of Continuous Medicaid
    • ACA, Medicaid and Medicare Defense
    • Care for Uninsured
    • Connecting Kids to Coverage
    • COVID-19 >
      • COVID-19 Resources & Publications
      • COVID-19 Dashboard
    • Elder Health
    • Immigrant Health
    • LGBTQ+ Health
    • Litigation
    • Maternal Health
    • Medicaid Expansion
    • Resources >
      • Recursos en Español
  • STORIES Project
  • Publications
  • About
    • Our Approach
    • Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Advisory Board
  • Contact
  • Donate