Plus, the growing disparity in quality healthcare
More than 29 million Americans can’t afford or access quality healthcare, a Florida bill requires labels on food products containing vaccine materials, and another aims to prevent local governments from adding fluoride to water supplies and the mislabeling of plant-based foods. It’s all in this week’s Healthcare Digest.
Healthcare Lapses: According to the latest West Health-Gallup Healthcare Affordability and Value Indexes, more than 1 in 10 adults in American can’t afford or cannot access quality healthcare. This works out to just over 29 million people and is the highest number we’ve seen since studies conducted back in 2021. Affected the most are Hispanic (18%) and Black (14%) adults, and low-income households (25%) showing a growing disparity in the quality of healthcare across the country. Age does not seem to have such a correlation, with rates rising in the low single-digit percentages. However, the percentage of cost-secure adults, who can both access and afford quality healthcare, has fallen drastically to only 51% of the population, to the point where nearly 4 in every 10 Americans are now considered cost insecure, denoting some difficulty in accessing and affording healthcare. Drug shortages and Medicaid disenrollment are among some of the factors exacerbating the issue – which the report indicates could spell sweeping problems for the nation as a whole in the coming years.
Meals without mRNA: Senate Bill 196, which would require labels on food containing vaccines and vaccine materials, is scheduled to go before the Rules Committee on Wednesday (April 16, 2025), its last before heading to the full Senate. Sponsored by Senator Joe Gruters (R – Sarasota), the bill focuses on growing concerns surrounding genetically modified food and makes a revision to the definition of “drug” to include vaccine material, including the now infamous mRNA. “Many Floridians have genuine concerns about the practice of genetically engineering foods to contain experimental vaccines,” said Senate President Ben Albritton (R – Wauchula) in Florida Politics. “The families across our state deserve to know what is in the food they eat. This legislation ensures transparency in our food supply.” If the bill passes, any food product containing vaccines or vaccine materials would require clear labeling, and failure to comply with this would lead to a product being deemed a misbranded drug or food. Also included in the text is a ban on toxic chemicals in cosmetics including ortho-phthalates, PFAs, and formaldehyde.
Fluoride Free Florida: On the topic of food safety legislation, HB 651, nicknamed the Florida Farm Bill, will go before the House Commerce Committee tomorrow (April 15, 2025), its last before heading to the full House. Sponsored by Rep. Kaylee Tuck (R-Lake Placid) and Rep. Danny Alvarez (R-Hillsborough County), the bill aims to ban local governments from adding fluoride to water supplies and prohibits mislabeling of plant-based foods as meat, milk, poultry, and eggs. For proponents of the 155-page bill, this is a step towards “health freedom” and a step away from government mandated health choices. While the package does not specifically mention fluoride by name, it prevents the “use of any additive included primarily for health-related purposes,” which would bar communities from deciding on their own water fluoridation if passed. As for the plant-based labeling, the legislation would create a process to encourage the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to adopt rules preventing plant-based foods from being sold under different food names. “Words matter,” said Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “When shoppers pick up a product labeled as ‘milk’ or ‘meat,’ or ‘poultry,’ they shouldn’t have to read the fine print to find out it’s actually made from soy, almonds or chemicals.”
LMA Newsletter of 4-14-25
