By Mary Mayhew When the Florida legislature officially gavels in on March 7, it will have just under two months to pass a state budget. While the budget is the only must-pass item, lawmakers also will debate numerous other proposals governing everything from the environment and education to health care and transportation. This session is vitally important for Florida hospitals. After three years of the pandemic and resulting economic losses and workforce shortages, hospitals need relief and support. Fortunately, the state is in a position of economic strength. With robust economic growth, Florida ended 2022 with a budget surplus of $21.8 billion, the highest ever. Reserves exceed $15 billion. Investing in our state’s hospitals – the bedrock of the health care system – must be a priority. Florida residents deserve strong hospitals. Florida communities need them. And the state’s economy depends on them. Hospitals are a key factor in Florida’s economic success story. Florida hospitals had an annual economic output contribution of $177.8 billion in 2021, employing more than 322,000 Floridians with a total payroll of more than $28 billion. Each hospital job supports 1.73 additional jobs in the state, and every $1 spent by a hospital supports $1.25 […]
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