The state has scrubbed nearly 80% of the references to Hope Florida — the controversial DeSantis administration effort to move residents off government assistance that became mired in political scandal — in its Medicaid managed care contract.

The original contract had come under heavy scrutiny from lawmakers during the regular legislative session six months ago.

In September 2025, Casey DeSantis spoke at the University of South Florida’s cancer symposium in Tampa, before an audience of physicians, researchers, and state officials. She highlighted the state’s billion-dollar commitment to oncology and emphasized prevention through diet and lifestyle. Then, drawing on both office and survivorship, she pointed to ivermectin — an antiparasitic drug the FDA has warned against for COVID-19 and which no regulator has approved for cancer treatment — as a generic the state “should look at” for possible repurposing.

Florida’s top health official is going beyond his push to end vaccine requirements in schools and workplaces. 

In a recent podcast interview, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo said he wants mRNA COVID-19 vaccines “not to be available to anyone.” He clarified that Floridians would still have access to other vaccines, but singled out mRNA shots as unsafe in his view.
Public health experts, including doctors at the University of South Florida, said mRNA vaccines have been proven safe and effective. They credit them with saving lives and preventing severe illness.

“The benefits far outweigh the risks for the COVID vaccines,” said Dr. Michael Teng with USF Health. “We know pretty clearly they’ve saved lives, especially for more vulnerable populations.”

Editor’s Note: This article seems to contain the latest information regarding the availability of the COVID vaccine in Florida. Update: The Florida Chapter of the American College of Physicians (FCACP) […]

Millions of Floridians could soon face skyrocketing health insurance costs. State regulators have approved steep increases to marketplace plans, and at the same time, federal tax credits that help offset premiums are set to expire.

Florida would be hit harder than any other state if Congress fails to extend the program. The state leads the nation in the number of people buying private health insurance through the marketplace. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimates 1.4 million Floridians could lose coverage, nearly doubling the uninsured rate.

After his announcement this week that he would seek to eliminate “all vaccine mandates,” Florida’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, made one thing clear: This decision was based on no science, just vibes. Under Ladapo’s leadership, Florida’s rates of routine childhood vaccination—shots that protect against catastrophic diseases like polio and tetanus—have already declined. Today, the immunization rate for kindergartners is 90 percent, the lowest it’s been in a decade, and below the threshold required to prevent the spread of some serious illnesses. The rate of families seeking religious exemptions to school vaccine requirements has increased over the past few years.”