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Petersburg.

Sarasota.

Florida homeowners are losing almost nine out of ten insurance disputes in a process not playing out in court.

Is Citizens arbitration system fair or is it stacked against policyholders?

Florida Surgeon General believes there should be a complete ban on mRNA Covid 19 vaccines.

His comments are raising questions about who is really in charge of your health.

And more Florida children are losing health insurance.

We look at why and what families face when care becomes a choice between basic needs.

That's next on Florida This Week.

Welcome back, everybody.

I'm Lissette Campos.

On our panel this week, we are joined by Alan Cohen, nominee for U.S.

Congress District 15 in 2022.

And a registered Democrat.

We have Tara Newsom, attorney and professor at St.

Pete College, and Mike Fasano, Pasco County tax collector and a registered Republican.

We begin with the state's insurance company of last resort Citizens.

It continues to divert tens of thousands of homeowners to other insurance carriers.

Currently, Citizens insures just over 777,000 policies.

That's down from 1.4 million at its peak.

Insurance reform in recent years has led to more insurance coming back into Florida, and, they say spreading the risk.

But at what cost?

Take a look.

A new investigation reveals that homeowners insured through Citizens property insurance are losing more than 90% of claim disputes.

The reason a state run arbitration system established by law that roots nearly all disputes into a forum funded by Citizens itself.

The investigation was done by ProPublica, an independent nonprofit news organization.

Supporters claim that arbitration is faster and cheaper than court.

Homeowners who went through the process tell a different story.

They face mounting repair bills denied by their claim.

Legal fees and the stress of watching their homes deteriorate while waiting for resolution.

Critics also argue the process strips homeowners of basic legal rights, limits discovery, and tilts the system in favor of the insurer.

A Tampa judge temporarily halted the process for now, citing potential violations of state constitutional rights, including access to courts and due process.

Tara, as the attorney on the panel, I'd like to start with you.

Explain what critics are saying is a lack of key rights that you would get otherwise in a regular court case.

What exactly are they talking about?

Let's get to that, but first, let's just acknowledge the fact that there's always been tension in the state of Florida between the insurance companies and Florida families, and that's exasperated by seeing more industry professionals lobbying at Tallahassee than Florida families.

And it's very frustrating for Florida families, especially when you're working 2 to 3 jobs to cover your home insurance.

But when you secure your home insurance and you're using Citizens, it's the insurer of last resort.

So usually you have no other choice.

So you're signing on to a contract to insure your home that abrogates some really key judicial protections.

I think we all can agree that we want government efficiency, but not at the cost of simple fairness and judicial protections.

And that's what that's what the issue right here.

There are procedural motions that you can utilize in a regular court of law that are denied in arbitration, there is the ability to withdraw from the case.

And in this case, under this new statutory um, law, you actually can't withdraw without having to pay Citizens court costs.

And so these are simple sort of, um, due process, procedural due process protections that you have in a traditional court of law that you're not enjoying while you're trying to work through the conflict of losing everything that you have and that you're actually only insured by the insurer of last resort.

So there's no wonder that Florida families are so frustrated.

But this is a great opportunity for the state legislature to be what they call the laboratory of democracies, be nimble.

And, you know, I think Mike and I were talking before about what the Florida legislature could do to really help undo what I think was a good idea, but has really done Florida families wrong.

And, Mike, so many people think that it's the it's the work that legislators have done in the past, specifically during the 2023 session that have created some of the problems that we're seeing now.

What is your?

Well, in 2023, the Florida legislature added an amendment to a bill at the last minute on the Florida Senate.

And I think it was the Senate not unusual for the legislature to do that.

That allows now Citizens to do what they're doing.

Citizens is actually paying the DOA judges to make these decisions.

Now, if a DOA judge wants to continue working and continue getting paid, they're going to probably lean towards those that are that are paying them.

And unfortunately, in this case that we see, in fact, many cases, those DOA judges are leaning and giving Citizens the win and the consumer the loss.

And this consumer has nowhere else to go, nowhere else to go.

And they're in Citizens because there's no other insurance company that will insure them, insure that home.

That's totally unfair to the homeowner.

I think the legislature needs to readdress this come back next session, which begins in January, of course, and relook at what they did, the mistake they made.

And for the person who's at home and listening to this and not sure what DOA is, we want to make sure that we explain that.

Florida Division of Administrative Hearings.

It's comprised of judges who specialize in the administration, the law.

That's correct.

Instead of going to a jury, then you have a judge who specializes in procedures going through it.

Yes, and the homeowner in their contract clearly states that you're going to have to go through one of these judges instead of taking Citizens to court.

So this is what happens in the end.

And as Tara said earlier, that sometimes the it's it's better for the homeowner just to back away, but Citizens won't allow them to back away.

They want to keep them in there and force them to pay for the expenses that Citizens is putting out.

So in the end, some of the homeowners are actually getting a bill for Citizens for not going forward with the case.

They're not only not getting their insurance that they've paid for it.

They're having to pay for Citizens legal costs, which is it's wild.

It's unbelievable what's going on in the States.

You know, if you're a voter in Florida, I hope you're paying attention to this conversation because this is what, as you both have mentioned, what the legislature should be doing and has not done and will not do.

We've gotten very good in Florida in terms of banning books.

Um, but, you know, we have state legislators who are one of whom is now the lieutenant governor.

And his answer to the whole issue was to delete climate change from state statute.

Problem solved.

Well, we're paying the price for these things right now.

And, uh, you know, Citizens Insurance is part of all the problems that we have, but it's not being fixed in the state legislature.

And at and it won't be fixed until legislators start losing their jobs, because it's not.

Regardless of what side of the political aisle you're on, so many homeowners after last year's hurricane season are saying it is time to bring back some common sense into this discussion about insurance reform and and being able to take your case before a court and have them be able to look at the data and look at the facts.

I mean, this this information that's coming out is made possible because of this.

ProPublica also, the Florida Sun-Sentinel did an investigation.

They looked specifically at more than 1500 cases that went to that final hearing.

And what was the percentage?

90%.

90% of the homeowner was losing and Citizens was winning.

And it's about 50% if they use the traditional judicial process.

But there's hope, because we have judges who are pinpointing those judicial protections that should go with you no matter what process you have.

Let me turn this to the political one more time, because the candidate out there running for governor or running for state legislature that makes this issue their cause is going to be rewarded for it.

Let's hope it's a bipartisan issue because then Florida families can benefit.

We're seeing Republicans, and I've spoken to them.

They're not happy with what what has transpired.

And I'm hoping that when session comes up next year, that they'll go ahead and take this and take this language out.

Alan, I'm going to ask you to take off your political pundit hat for a minute and reach out for your journalism hat.

You were a journalist, investigative journalist for so many years.

This information is coming out because of what these two media companies were able to do, really dig deep into these cases.

And in one of the cases, in one of the aspects of the data that they looked at, they said that so many of the cases, more than half they were ruled not just in favor of Citizens, but that the payout that Citizens gave was $500.

I mean, incredible reporting, and it underscores how important journalism is.

But it should also be noted If you're talking about ProPublica or the Florida Sentinel, I believe they are both nonprofit organizations.

So this is not being done by commercial journalism, which it should be, which I love doing.

This is the kind of story that I would be all over.

Um, but we have a crisis in terms of journalism, in terms of the ability of, uh, mainstream news organizations to look at complicated issues without fear and favor and report on it in a credible sort of way.

And also to invest in seasoned investigative reporters, um, doing it the more superficial way, um, is much cheaper for our news organizations.

We're going to move now to our next topic.

Moving on to the battle over Covid 19 vaccines.

The mRNA Covid 19 vaccine could soon be off limits to Floridians.

The state's top doctor says that mRNA vaccines should be, quote, not available to anyone, end quote.

His stance is drawing criticism, even from President Trump, who once hailed the mRNA technology as a medical miracle.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo claims that mRNA Covid 19 vaccines are unsafe and should be banned.

You know, the goal is with mRNA is for that not to be available to anyone because no one should be using that one.

He cites unverified reports of DNA crossover and cancer risks, claims that have been rejected by a broad range of medical experts and scientists.

The benefits far outweigh the risks for the Covid vaccines.

We know pretty clearly they've saved lives, you know, especially for those populations that are more vulnerable.

It's something that you should really do to protect yourself against the severe consequences of Covid.

His comments come after Florida announced plans to roll back all vaccine mandates, including those for schoolchildren.

Governor Ron DeSantis had not publicly endorsed a ban for mRNA vaccines.

This push against mRNA vaccines comes after the US Health Secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr, pulled nearly $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine development.

President Trump himself has distanced himself from anti-vaccine rhetoric.

It's a tough stance.

Look, you have vaccines that work.

They're just pure and simple work.

They're not controversial at all.

And I think those vaccines should be used.

Otherwise, some people are going to catch it and they endanger other people.

And that was a statement from President Trump from the white House, as you saw September the 5th.

So all of this is happening at the same time.

Alan, I'd like to start with you.

What do you think that this does?

Do you think this gives ammunition to Democratic candidates who are coming in and saying, look at what's happening at the state level.

First, let's let's be absolutely clear.

The surgeon general of Florida is a quack.

Those are.

That's a hard that's a hard assessment.

Uh, and the truth is hard sometimes, Lissette, because what he is saying is not based on science, and people are going to die.

And, you know, I've read viewer comments, reader comments on other stories about this, people saying, well, you know, nothing is, uh, to say that you can't get these vaccines, uh, if you want them.

Well, the fact is, as you're reporting, they may not be available.

And the reason why vaccines have worked so well for so long is it's our collective responsibility to each other, to by vaccinating ourselves, we are protecting you.

And I think we've got to get to a point where we, uh, put aside, uh, you know, Partizan or team think and get back to the fact that we have been blessed in this country by an incredible public health system that has not let us down.

It's not perfect.

Science is not always perfect, but it is the best hope we have when we are faced with pandemics like Covid.

And so many people point to the pandemic as the point of break with trust and the public health system.

Um, how do you see all of this?

Well, I'm happy to see that the president of the United States supports vaccines because it has helped hundreds of millions of people alive, not only in America, but throughout the world.

Um, I'm a little concerned where, as a Republican, there are Republicans in Tallahassee that want to take my right away whether I want to have a vaccine or not.

And I think that Republicans are going down a wrong road politically.

I think it'll come back to haunt some Republicans if they if they support this.

People should have a right to decide whether they want a Covid vaccine or not.

Donald Trump, in fact, in his first four years did something spectacular.

He, through his administration, was able to find a formula.

The Covid formula vaccine that saved tens, if not millions of people's lives.

And and now we have a Republican, the surgeon general in Tallahassee, that wants to stop what what Donald Trump did four years ago.

Mhm.

Tara.

Well, it's really hard to reconcile, uh, our surgeon general's comments when he came out and had made national news as being a champion of civil liberties.

I mean, I showed it in class.

I mean, he was as a man and as a government, he was going to protect your right to choose to have a vaccine or not.

And so it's hard to reconcile where that went and that enthusiasm for individual liberties as it relates to having access to the Covid vaccine and vulnerable populations, our elderly, our children, our immunocompromised and everyone else in between is at risk.

But there is another cost to this.

It's the economic cost.

And the truth of the matter is, is that when the Surgeon General of Florida signals that he does not support a vaccine, insurers will no longer cover those vaccines.

Those vaccines will become more difficult to procure, and those that are the most vulnerable economically will not be able to achieve them.

There's other economic costs.

What about when we export our workforce?

There's other states and other countries that require a vaccine.

What is that going to do to our young people, to our those that are in professional capacities, that cannot go and do the global economy that we always talk about because they're not vaccinated, much less in in the academic world, when we have our wonderful St.

Pete College students graduate, they go off to graduate school, they're going to another place.

We're so proud of our Florida homegrown scholars.

They can't get into graduate school without a vaccine record.

So what is this going to mean to the economy of Florida, when the rest of the world says, this is not what we think of when we talk about public health, and you're putting not only your own Citizens, but everyone else at risk.

You have, uh, two pharmacies now, Walgreens and CVS, who say they're not going to offer the vaccine in Florida any longer.

This is dangerous.

This is dangerous to the health and welfare of our state and its Citizens.

To all of a sudden, you have the Surgeon General saying we should not be offering any longer.

People will die.

There's no question people will die if that vaccine is not available to them and allow them to decide whether they want the vaccine, not government.

We're going to move on to our next segment, which is children and health care.

Um, topics that are very important for children in Florida are going without health insurance.

That's a fact.

It's a trend that experts say is likely to grow.

And we're looking at why this is happening and what it means for families having to choose between medical care and daily basic needs.

About 8.5% of children across the state of Florida had no health insurance last year.

That's roughly 403,000 children.

A spike of 20% from 2022, according to an analysis of census data from Georgetown University.

That means that those children likely missed out on regular doctor checkups, vaccinations and other essential health services.

The rise in uninsured kids is tied to a stalled expansion of Florida's Kidcare program, approved by state lawmakers two years ago.

A legal dispute with the federal government over how the program handles premium payments has had it on hold ever since.

It's created gaps in coverage for families who can't afford private insurance.

Health advocates warn families coping with chronic illness are the hardest hit and the financial burden of even simple routine care is forcing some parents to delay or skip critical checkups for their children.

The independent nonprofit Florida Policy Institute encourages people to reach out to their legislators and share stories of their healthcare challenges.

Mike, as a former legislator, I would just like to start with you.

When you hear that this is something the Kidcare program was approved in the legislature in 2023, and now there's a holdup going back and forth with the federal government.

As a legislator, how does that sit with you?

It's very sad.

Kidcare is probably one of the best programs we have in the state of Florida.

The legislature and the governor put something in place that allows every child in Florida to get health care, health insurance to see what's happened now.

And I don't want to blame Republicans or Democrats.

It concerns me that the federal government and the state government can't get their act together.

As thousands of children come off of health care.

Health insurance?

Um, I mean, it's not just kids who just need an annual checkup.

We have chronic children who are being who whose parent is getting letters saying that we're no longer going to be able to insure you starting this month or next month or whenever.

And there's the parent now wondering, how is my chronic illness ill child?

How is that my child going to get the care that they need not only monthly, but weekly, some daily.

And, uh, I feel badly for the parent.

I mean, children are the most precious thing that we can, you know, to take care of.

And and the state of Florida can easily $115 billion budget they had this year.

And they can't take care of our uninsured children.

It's the easiest thing to do.

So if a mom and dad changes jobs and they get new insurance, um, legally that new insurance company can say, we're not going to cover that in your child because that's a preexisting chronic illness.

So that's a very interesting question.

And there are changes in that law regarding preexisting conditions.

But what this story really is about is the fact that the state of Florida is not expanding its health insurance program for children like they did under Covid, and that's where the that's where the rub really is, is that it's an easy fix.

It's a bipartisan fix.

All the things that are going on in the world, we can all agree, no matter where you are, that we care about our children, and the Florida has the Florida budget and they have the ability, because we did it like that under Covid, to make sure that I think it's something like 500,000 children, majority of which would still benefit from the Florida's Children's Health Insurance program.

So go ahead and make that change and immediately help those kids get care.

It's an easy win.

It's a it's a great bipartisan effort.

And for the most important part, it helps serve our Florida kids.

How effective is it when voters, residents reach out to their elected officials in Congress and say, please move this along?

Well, you know, calls matter going up to Tallahassee.

And there are a lot of organizations that do matter.

Having face to face conversations with your legislature matters.

This is just another huge test of the Florida legislature.

And for governor DeSantis, because the need is obvious.

The bipartisan, uh, you know, feelings about this are are obvious.

And it's going to be a real question about when the legislature comes back into session.

Are they going to continue on their, their, their path in terms of, uh, social issues that don't solve real problems or are they going to provide health care for our children?

There is nothing more important about that.

And that's really kind of a test.

Uh, Lisette of us, are we going to demand this of our legislators and our governor?

And if you're concerned about what you've just heard, then pick up the phone and weigh in with your state legislator.

If you don't, even if you don't have children.

I don't have kids.

I got nieces and nephews, but I don't have children.

It's like, call your local legislator, go and see them, write them a letter, email them.

It's not.

It's a moral and a faith based imperative.

And we spend so much time in the state talking about moral and faith based imperatives, caring for our children, making sure they have access to health care.

There's nothing more important.

In the time that we have left.

I want to go around the table and ask each of you, what are some of the other top stories that you're following this week?

Tara, I'd like to start with you.

I'm watching the schools in Florida starting to close in Pinellas County.

We know that we are having a number of school closings.

Our superintendent and school board are trying to be very, very thoughtful about how they do it, but it's going to have huge impacts, not on just access to education, but the economy.

You know, think about it.

When you go to buy a house, you want to look at a neighborhood that has a good school.

If that good school is not there anymore, are you going to buy that house?

If you're a parent who depends on your kid walking to school, are you going to have to get child care?

Are you going to have to get transportation, or are you going to have to lose your job because you have to stay home to take care of it, not only the unemployment of the educational ecosystem.

So really trying to see what why this is happening.

Is it really because we have a, you know, decreasing people being born?

Is it also an unintended consequence of school choice vouchers?

And this is going to be the first time we're seeing it really hit the road.

Mike, what's the big story with you?

Well, the Florida legislature passed a bill that went into effect August the 1st for our young people who are 15 years old to 18 years old.

You used to have to take a four hour drug and alcohol course in order to get your learner's permit.

You no longer have to take that, but you now need to take a six hour driver's education course that you can take online or in person.

You have to get that course taken before you can get your learner's permit.

Alan, in the time that we.

Obviously the third rail this week is Charlie Kirk.

And it's very hard to have these conversations because what we are seeing in real time are consequences if you do, no matter what side you are on.

And we have to learn how to talk to each other once again.

And we were talking about this before we came on.

I was in New York on nine over 11 as a reporter, and I remember going out that night in lower Manhattan and seeing police, fire, EMS, not just from New York or the tristate area or New England, but already from places like Missouri and North Carolina.

We came together as a nation and, uh, you know, a lot of us are wondering, are we capable of doing that again?

And what will happen to this country if we are not?

So I end where I began.

We have got to start learning how to talk to each other in a way that does not produce tragedies like this, and consequences for people who want to talk about it.

We have to remember our humanity and agree that even when we are going to agree to disagree, that violence is never the answer.

Thank you so much for being here.

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On behalf of the entire team here, thank you so much for watching.

We'll see you next week.