Rick Mayer
Health News FloridaI’m the online producer for Health News Florida, a collaboration of public radio stations and NPR that delivers news about health care issues.
This is an important position at WUSF. In 2019, the typical U.S. family spent about 11 percent of its annual income on health care, so it stands to reason issues of cost, quality, access and innovation are consequential to all Floridians. Then COVID-19 came along, and the weight of these matters gained exponentially. I take our reporting on these topics quite seriously, as I’m sure you do, too.
Literally growing up in newsrooms and a little serendipity along the way prepared me well for the post. Here’s the abridged version: I’m a Tampa guy, graduating from H.B. Plant High and thrust into the world with my USF degree rolled tightly in hand. From there, it was three mostly sleepless decades as an editor at The Tampa Tribune, then developing and managing an online journal serving physician executives. There’s also my side job editing a statewide health magazine.
And being married to a longtime hospital nurse/case manager helps; dinner conversation often gives me a feel of what’s happening on the front lines. The good and not-so-good.
Of course, my time isn’t always spent flailing in the health news vortex. You’re actually more likely to find me breaking down the Bucs, Bulls or Bolts after a game, taking Oodle the poodle to the dog park or tinkering the backroom piano while vicariously reliving my former life as a musician. (Remember, kids: Parents of percussionists have plenty of patience. Plenty!)
Contact Rick on Twitter @rmayer2361 or by email at Mayer1@wusf.org.
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A new $150.5 million investment, approved four months after construction began, will add 92 beds, including 48 acute care beds, 20 skilled nursing beds and space for another 24 acute care beds. -
Attorney General James Uthmeier says the state would not sit on the sideline while many hospitals have "extorted patients who have come in with life-or-death cases and left with crippling debt.” -
The measure, a priority of Senate President Ben Albritton, is intended to improve early intervention, school readiness, educational opportunities and workforce training. -
Talks center on how much more the insurer would need to reimburse the health system for patient care. If no deal is reached by July 1, Broward Health would be out of network for 17,000-plus customers. -
One law allows the Florida Farm Bureau to offer largely unregulated coverage to members. Another gives law enforcement discretion when arresting a person with a “significant” medical condition. -
In a court filing, the agency said the abeyance would allow time to “allow parties to confer and seek agreement on proposals” ahead of the EPA’s planned announcement on the rules. -
The measure authorizes physicians to perform the treatments for orthopedics, wound care or pain management with strict requirements to ensure safety and ethics. -
In announcing his plan for the legislation, Gov. Ron DeSantis described the addition of fluoride to public water as "forced medication" and "taking away a choice." -
The active TB case was reported at Dillard High School. Broward County health officials did not say whether the infected person was a student, teacher or administrator. -
Carter has never served in a government position. As a reporter, she has investigated border issues, nation security and crime, and been as a war correspondent in Afghanistan and Iraq.
