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.

Still no answers from DeSantis administration on KidCare disenrollments, challenges
Florida

Still no answers from DeSantis administration on KidCare disenrollments, challenges

Sep 14, 2026
Christine Sexton
The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis is still not giving firm answers on when — or whether — it intends to expand a safety-net healthcare program for low-income children that the Florida Legislature has approved. A bipartisan pair of state...
Up, up, and away: Are double-digit health insurance rate increases ahead?
Florida

Up, up, and away: Are double-digit health insurance rate increases ahead?

Sep 10, 2026
Christine Sexton
It looks like another round of health insurance premium increases for millions of Floridians who get their insurance through the federal health care makretplaces. Twelve Affordable Care Act participating insurers submitted for rate increases in the coming year, data published...
Doctors ask state for hearing on new proposed vaccine rule
Florida

Doctors ask state for hearing on new proposed vaccine rule

Sep 09, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida physicians want a formal hearing on the DeSantis administration’s latest effort to weaken vaccine requirements for Florida schoolchildren. The Florida Chapter of the American College of Physicians on Wednesday sent notice to the Department of Health requesting a rule...
Increasing SNAP error rates could be good news for Florida (really)
Florida

Increasing SNAP error rates could be good news for Florida (really)

Sep 07, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida’s anticipated error rate in the federal food security program called SNAP appears to be on the rise — a move that could wind up helping the state avoid costly penalties in the short run. After dipping to 12.97% for...
One last time: Legislative Budget Commission meets to discuss immigration, long-term outlook
Florida

One last time: Legislative Budget Commission meets to discuss immigration, long-term outlook

Sep 04, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida legislators will gather one last time ahead of the November elections to go over the state’s financial outlook and sign off on budget amendments that would direct more money into the state’s immigration enforcement activities. The Legislative Budget Commission...
No recommendations on autism care as task force completes second meeting
Florida

No recommendations on autism care as task force completes second meeting

Aug 31, 2026
Christine Sexton
A Florida task force that could recommend a wholesale revamping of services used by some of the state’s needy children spent hours Monday looking at applied behavioral services (ABA) and how and when they are delivered. The blue-ribbon panel is...
Florida Developmental Disabilities Council executive director steps down
Florida

Florida Developmental Disabilities Council executive director steps down

Aug 31, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida Disabilities Council Executive Director Valerie Breen announced her resignation Monday in an email, citing health concerns. Former Agency for Persons with Disabilities Director and Tallahassee lobbyist Jim DeBeaugrine is serving as acting executive director until a permanent replacement for...
David Jolly: First Lady Casey DeSantis, Hope Florida were ‘used’ in a ‘sinister plan’
Florida

David Jolly: First Lady Casey DeSantis, Hope Florida were ‘used’ in a ‘sinister plan’

Aug 28, 2026
Christine Sexton
Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly ripped into Republicans again Friday over the grand jury report on Hope Florida. But the candidate looking to replace Gov. Ron DeSantis did agree with the sitting governor on one part of the fallout. He...
Democrats go on the offense, Republicans play defense after Hope Florida grand jury report leak
Florida

Democrats go on the offense, Republicans play defense after Hope Florida grand jury report leak

Aug 27, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida Democrats went on the offensive Thursday against Republican leaders after the release of a blistering statewide grand jury report that found $10 million in Medicaid funds were “misappropriated” and wound up being used for “political activities.” That report —...
Pediatric group wins early legal battle against DeSantis administration and its Medicaid rates
Florida

Pediatric group wins early legal battle against DeSantis administration and its Medicaid rates

Aug 27, 2026
Christine Sexton
An administrative judge has refused to dismiss the state’s largest pediatric care provider’s allegations the DeSantis administration miscalculated Medicaid rates to cover the costs of applied behavioral analysis for children with autism. Division of Administrative Hearings Judge W. David Watkins...
DeSantis: Only police officers should issue tickets
Florida

DeSantis: Only police officers should issue tickets

Aug 26, 2026
Christine Sexton
Amid the growing public and political backlash against Flock cameras, add Gov. Ron DeSantis to the list of skeptics about their use. The governor said Wednesday that roadside cameras that use artificial intelligence to photograph and log vehicle data are...
Tough medicine: State worker health costs in the red again
Florida

Tough medicine: State worker health costs in the red again

Aug 25, 2026
Christine Sexton
Florida’s next governor will confront an ongoing financial crunch: The continued rising costs associated with health insurance for thousands of state workers. State economists this past month again projected that the trust fund used to cover the costs of health...