9 Actions Florida Should Take to Help Taxpayers Impacted by Hurricane Ian

1.     Postpone tax notices and waive penalties or interest for late tax filings in affected areas

2.     Extend the date for residents to take advantage of the tax discounts they would normally receive for paying property taxes and special assessments in November and postpone or defer the deadline for property tax installment payments

3.     Protect individual and business taxpayers from the risks for notices that they will likely not receive because their home or business addresses is not accessible anymore

4.     Issue no new audits in severely impacted areas, extend the statute of limitations and postpone existing audits that haven’t reached the assessment stage because these can’t be responded to while entire communities are still recovering

5.     Create procedures for fairly estimating taxes which can’t be calculated because records have been destroyed by the storm, moving away from the current method which significantly overestimates activity if no records are available

6.     Initiate procedures to offer payment plan assistance for late taxes, rather than resorting to the standard collection methods, like liens, levies, or bank freezes

7.     Retroactively apply the recently passed law that provides property tax refunds for residential property rendered uninhabitable as a result of a catastrophic event

8.     Provide tangible personal property relief and allow n on-residential properties rendered uninhabitable to receive property tax refunds

9.     Get Congress to pass a Disaster Tax Relief Act that includes provisions from past packages, including elements such as an Employee Retention Credit, an enhanced casualty loss deduction, and other relief provisions

Other Resources

Florida TaxWatch Statement on Hurricane Ian Recovery

Community Involvement

Social Determinants of Health: Health Care Access and Quality

The report delves into the social determinants of health (SDOH), which are environmental conditions affecting individual health outcomes. It identifies five primary groups: Health Care Access and Quality, Education Access and Quality, Social and Community Context, Neighborhood and Built Environment, and Economic Stability. SDOH accounts for about 80% of a person's health, overshadowing the impact of direct medical care.

The focus is on Health Care Access and Quality in Florida, revealing significant challenges due to high insurance costs and a substantial uninsured population. In 2021, Florida ranked 41st in health care access nationally. The state struggles with a physician shortage, particularly in rural areas, and faces ongoing issues with health disparities influenced by social, cultural, economic, and geographic barriers. These disparities were notably evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A lack of health insurance is a primary driver of health disparities. As of 2023, a significant portion of Floridians lack employer-sponsored health insurance, and the state has a higher rate of uninsured residents compared to the national average. This situation results in delayed medical care and inadequate preventive measures.

Economically, the uninsured impose substantial costs on healthcare systems, relying heavily on emergency departments. Financial losses affect not only hospitals but also government budgets, with billions spent annually on uncompensated care costs.

Promoting telehealth services, expanding scope of practice for physician assistants and nurses, and implementing policy changes such as the "Live Healthy Agenda" are recommended to address the health care access crisis and support Florida's growing population.

This commentary is part of a series by Florida TaxWatch, with further reports on other SDOH aspects forthcoming, aiming to culminate in a comprehensive report in Fall 2024.

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