Headshot of Florida Phoenix senior reporter Christine Sexton.

Christine Sexton

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Christine Sexton is a senior reporter at the Florida Phoenix. She has spent more than 30 years reporting on Florida health care, insurance policy, and state politics and has covered the state’s last six governors. Before joining the Phoenix, she helped launch the Politico Florida bureau and wrote the weekly health care newsletter, Diagnosis, for Florida Politics. She also worked for the News Service of Florida. Sexton has written articles that have appeared in The New York Times, Bloomberg News, and The Associated Press. She lives in Tallahassee.

It’s here: 2027 Obamacare enrollment
Florida

It’s here: 2027 Obamacare enrollment

12:05am ET
Christine Sexton
Millions of Florida residents who purchase their insurance policies on healthcare.gov can begin shopping Sunday for coverage to take effect next year. Twelve companies will offer so-called Obamacare plans on the healthcare.gov marketplace, where subsidies are available to lower the...
Trump OKs individual FEMA assistance for eight Florida counties hit by Isaias
Florida

Trump OKs individual FEMA assistance for eight Florida counties hit by Isaias

Oct 29, 2026
Christine Sexton
President Donald Trump has approved the DeSantis administration’s request that the Federal Emergency Management Agency provide individual assistance to eight counties in the Florida Panhandle that suffered damage from Hurricane Iasias. Trump approved the request for individual FEMA assistance for...
‘Ambitious’ timeline means DeSantis could pass new vax rules before he leaves office
Florida

‘Ambitious’ timeline means DeSantis could pass new vax rules before he leaves office

Oct 29, 2026
Christine Sexton
Gov. Ron DeSantis’s efforts to pare back the number of vaccines children must receive to enter school or daycare could pay off for him before he leaves office on Jan. 5 in light of a state administrative judge’ agreement Thursday...
Trump approves Hurricane Isaias disaster relief 12 days after it was made
Florida

Trump approves Hurricane Isaias disaster relief 12 days after it was made

Oct 28, 2026
Christine Sexton
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that President Donald Trump approved Florida’s request for a major disaster declaration authorizing public assistance funds to help Florida local governments recover from Hurricane Isaias. The announcement, 12 days after Gov. Ron DeSantis...
Republicans laud feds for awarding Florida $193.7M for rural healthcare
Florida

Trump administration awards Florida $193.7M for rural healthcare

Oct 27, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida has been awarded $193.7 million in federal funds to support telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, pharmacy services, diagnostic kiosks, and community paramedicine for rural areas in Florida, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced. The grant is $5 million-plus...
Come together: Jolly and Nixon stump on FAMU campus as election draws near
Florida

Come together: Jolly and Nixon stump on FAMU campus as election draws near

Oct 23, 2026
Christine Sexton Jay Waagmeester
The two Democrats at the top of the Florida party’s statewide ticket came together Friday on the campus of Florida A&M University — one of the few times they have campaigned in tandem since winning their nominations. Both Democratic gubernatorial...
Florida Supreme Court opens door to some lawsuits against insurers
Florida

Florida Supreme Court opens door to some lawsuits against insurers

Oct 22, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida homeowners got an important ruling Thursday from the Florida Supreme Court. The high court put to rest a years-long legal controversy over whether a sweeping 2021 law that required policyholders to give their insurance companies 10-days notice before filing...
DeSantis: Tough fentanyl laws have led to 60% dip in drug deaths in three years
Florida

DeSantis: Tough fentanyl laws have led to 60% dip in drug deaths in three years

Oct 20, 2026
Christine Sexton
More than 600 pounds of fentanyl, 800 pounds of cocaine, and nearly 1,000 firearms have been seized and nearly 3,000 drug arrests made in Florida since 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday during an Orlando press conference. DeSantis — appearing...
Proposed school, daycare vaccine changes are challenged in administrative court
Florida

Proposed school, daycare vaccine changes challenged in administrative court

Oct 20, 2026
Christine Sexton
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration didn’t follow rulemaking procedures and overstepped its authority when it proposed eliminating four required vaccines for school and daycare entry, a rule challenge filed in state administrative court alleges. “K.O.,” a school nurse with three young...
Corruption, affordability are themes Democrats highlight in U.S. Senate race
Florida

Corruption, affordability are themes Democrats highlight in U.S. Senate race

Oct 19, 2026
Mitch Perry Christine Sexton
A Florida Democrat hasn’t held a seat in the U.S. Senate since 2019, but 42-year-old Democrat Angie Nixon is working to reverse that trend in her push to defeat incumbent Sen. Ashley Moody in the general election Nov. 3. To...
Hurricane Isaias leaves $582M in insured damage; states seeks $237M from FEMA
Florida

Hurricane Isaias leaves $582M in insured damage; state seeks $237M from FEMA

Oct 19, 2026
Christine Sexton
In the week following Hurricane Isaias’ landfall in Destin, initial damage estimates reported by insurers and state officials show that the storm financially walloped northwest Florida. State insurance officials report that as of Oct. 15, 46,509 claims had been filed...
DeSantis seeks ‘major disaster’ declaration from Trump post-Isaias
Florida

DeSantis seeks ‘major disaster’ declaration from Trump post-Isaias

Oct 16, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida has asked for a major disaster declaration from the White House a week after Hurricane Isaias tore through a swath of the Panhandle and was blamed for six deaths. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that state officials had made...