Florida Looking to Advance Healthcare Freedom and Educational Choice

THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, which kicks off in Florida in a few short weeks, legislators should, and in areas are poised to, continue their state’s leadership on principles of free markets in critical areas.

• Increasing healthcare freedom by expanding telehealth, eliminating certificate of need laws, and growing scope of practice
• Providing families with robust and effective school choice by consolidating existing programs and streamlining options

THE BIG PICTURE: Of course, Governor Ron DeSantis has made national news for being one of the most liberty-friendly governors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so efforts to advance similar ideals in the legislature is key. Fortunately, thanks to the hard work of advocates in the state like the James Madison Institute, some policy priorities have potential to see successful action in the coming months.

THE DETAILS:

Healthcare:

1. Expand telemedicine to allow for increased remote care
2. Grow scope of practice, including for pharmacists and nurses
3. Eliminate remaining certificate of need laws

Education::

1. Consolidate the five existing school choice programs into two main programs
2. Expand the eligible uses of education savings accounts to fit the current times
3. Make the school voucher system more user-friendly

WHY IT MATTERS:

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans more than ever need access to quality — and affordable — healthcare. While the left would have this look like full government takeover of the private system, we know that such policies would devastate the healthcare space and result in low-quality care for those who are even able to access the system at all. Instead, Floridians can look to their elected officials to push their healthcare system in the other direction, toward care focused on doctors and patients, instead of on government and bureaucrats as the middlemen.

Furthermore, a notable crisis that has grown out of the almost-year-long pandemic we are currently in, is the crisis of students unable to go to school and, as a result, families forced to make serious sacrifices in choosing between their livelihoods and their children. This is a tragedy that, fortunately for Floridians, has not been as dramatic as in other states, where school choice is limited. Unsurprisingly, as Florida has long been a pioneer of educational freedom, its legislators are looking to further bolster their programs that allow families maximum flexibility to seek an education that works for their students.

Other areas of reform, such as workplace freedom from self-interested labor unions, market-based regulatory framework to spur innovation and investment, and smart insurance policy to limit abuse, are also necessary for Florida legislators to address, as is — of course — fighting for principles of federalism that allow Florida as much independence from federal interference as possible.

As state legislative sessions gets underway across the country, we’re sure there will be no shortage of opportunities to push back against big government, and we look forward to seeing some victories on this front for the people of the Sunshine State.