Access to health care is more than just ordinary preventative care and occasional treatment: it’s also preventing a health crisis. As Florida’s Miami-Dade County sees large numbers of its residents without health care, a health crisis may be on the horizon. The Miami Herald reports that the escalating health issues in Miami could result in overpopulation of hospitals, which in turn would be costly to the county residents. A recent report released by the Florida Community Health Action Information Network (CHAIN) reveals that HIV/AIDS is on the rise, as well as deaths due to Diabetes and Heart Disease. This is likely due in part to Miami-Dade County having the highest amount of uninsured adults of working age in the entire state of Florida. Statewide, around 567,000 Floridians lack health care.
While theAffordable Care Act seeks to provide widespread health care, the reluctance of the Florida government to expand programs like Medicaid are still leaving many residents without health care. The refusal by states to adopt Medicaid expansion is actually costing the state more money than to adopt it. The CHAIN report states that a federal funding gap for uninsured residents will cause Miami-Dade hospitals to endure a financial hit of over $241 million. Similarly, although on the other side of the spectrum, antiretroviral drugs for uninsured HIV-positive residents of Miami-Dade County cost the state in excess of $1.6 million. Should the legislature agree to adopt Medicaid expansion, private insurance companies working with Medicaid could better manage the multi-million dollar spending.
Until Medicaid expansion is adopted in Florida, Miami-Dade County will struggle in the face of a health crisis with rising costs for its county residents and hospitals.
