Recovery is Slow In Florida

Businessinsider.com listed 20 cities that are not economically recovering. 8 of those cities are in Florida. The BP spill is making matters worse by scaring tourism from the state.

Orlando

Gross metro product since peak: -1.0%

Home prices YTD: -17.5%

Employment since peak: -7.3%

Employment YTD: +4.1%

Lakeland

Gross metro product since peak: -2.4%

Home prices YTD: -17.8%

Employment since peak: -7.0%

Employment YTD: +4.1%

Miami

Gross metro product since peak: -4.4%

Home prices YTD: -14.1%

Employment since peak: -6.3%

Employment YTD: +3.7%

Jacksonville

Gross metro product since peak: -4.9%

Home prices YTD: -13.8%

Employment since peak: -7.2%

Employment YTD: 3.9%

Tampa

Gross metro product since peak: -4.9%

Home prices YTD: -12.4%

Employment since peak: -8.9%

Employment YTD: +4.0%

Palm Bay

Gross metro product since peak: -5.6%

Home prices YTD: -15.0%

Employment since peak: -10.2%

Employment YTD: +3.6%

Bradenton

Gross metro product since peak: -5.8%

Home prices YTD: -10.2%

Employment since peak: -14.4%

Employment YTD: +3.8%

Cape Coral

Gross metro product since peak: -14.8%

Home prices YTD: -11.4%

Employment since peak: -17.0%

Employment YTD: +3.7%

Food Stamp Applications Increase

Food stamp applications have gone up 15 percent in the Panhandle. Tourism is down is the Panhandle because of the Deep Horizon oil spill. Chris Thompson, president and CEO of Visit Florida explains:

"The timing of the spill couldn't have been any worse for Northwest Florida," Thompson said of the height of the Panhandle's tourist season. "After two years, volume had started coming back."

36 percent of Gulf of Mexico federal waters is closed to commercial fishing. NOAA will soon close more after oil has hit the Western coast of Florida. Tar balls have washed up on the beaches of Destin, Florida. The area is known for it's fishing.

Much of the Panhandle's economy depends on tourism and fishing. The oil spill will put many Floridians out of work. It is a bad time for Congress to vote not to extend unemployment benefits.

Oil Hits Pensacola

Traces of oil have washed up on the beaches of Pensacola, Florida. Gov. Charlie Crist came to observe the environmental damage. Clean-up contractors are working on the scene. Department of Secretary Mike Sole told the media he will contact the Coast Guard about getting front-end loader to pick up the oil-stained sand.

An MSNBC has a starker report. Field reporter Mark Potter said skimmers were not out until after the oil hit the shore. The oil has spread along the coast of Pensacola.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Reuters has a quote on just how bad the smell is.

"I jumped in my car this morning, drove out here and immediately the smell hits you in the face. It's like you're pulling up to a gas station to get gas," said Pensacola resident Gary Deshazo.

Just waits until it starts raining oil like in Louisiana. Things are going to get worst before they get better.

Crist Continues to Tout Cover Florida

I wrote previously about how Gov. Charlie Crist's Cover Florida health insurance program has been a massive failure. At the time, Cover Florida only provided insurance coverage to 3,700 Floridians. 3,560 Floridians lose their health insurance every week. Cover Florida does not make a dent into stopping Floridians from losing health insurance. Crist was so uncommitted to Cover Florida that he would not spend money to advertise the program.

Crist is again touting Cover Florida in a radio ad. The Pulitzer prize-winning Politifact found Cover Florida only provides health insurance to 0.1 percent of uninsured Floridians. When I previously checked the Cover Florida web site, there were no plans that covered hospitalization. Fortunately, the plans have gotten somewhat better. There are caps on hospital visits and other services. You are not covered once you pass the caps. Cover Florida private plans can exclude people with pre-existing conditions for the first year.

Seriously, does Crist want to run on a health care plan that only covers 0.1 percent of the uninsured? If so, then Crist need not wonder why he is behind in the polls.

Why Crist Kept Cover Florida UnderCover

Gov. Charlie Crist has voiced his opposition to President Barack Obama's health care reform. Crist maintains the private market is the best way to cover the uninsured. Crist has bragged about Cover Florida - a public-private partnership.

During the 2008 legislative session, my administration worked with legislators of both parties to secure unanimous approval of the Cover Florida Health Care Access Program. This legislation makes affordable health coverage available to 3.8 million uninsured Floridians through a comprehensive market-based strategy.

One little problem. Only 3,700 Floridians are covered by Cover Florida. Likely Senate race opponent Kendrick Meek noted 3,560 Floridians lose their insurance every week. Cover Florida is obviously not a solution for people without health insurance.

``We have seen the hypocrisy of leadership in the state of Florida, just doing enough to say healthcare insurance is provided,'' Meek said, noting that Florida has one of the highest rates of uninsured children in the nation. Overall, about one in five Floridians is uninsured.

Meek made his comments during a conference call hosted by the liberal advocacy group Families USA, which released a study showing that, since 2000, average insurance premiums rose 98 percent to $13,497 a year. But in that time, the median income of Floridians rose just 27 percent to $28,836 a year.

Crist all shiny happy Governor over Cover Florida. That explains why Crist won't spend money to advertise for the program. It might be because there is no guarantee you will get to keep your doctor under the Cover Florida plan.

Once plans begin enrolling consumers, you will need to contact the Cover Florida plan for which you wish to enroll to see if your current physician is included in their network.

The Cover Florida plans do not cover for hospitalization. The Cover Florida plan is confusingly different from county to county. The insurance companies are offering crap policies for pure PR purposes. Cover Florida really won't cover major health insurance needs. That is why so few people have signed up.

Cover Florida plans can be purchased for as low as $23.70 per month. However, the rates for Cover Florida plans vary depending on the applicant’s age, gender and chosen benefit options. Typically, preventive plans do not cover hospitalization; however, have lower monthly premiums than catastrophic hospitalization benefit plans. See the plan details in the “Available Plans” section of the www.CoverFloridaHealthCare.com Web site to see examples of rates.

Go to Cover Florida web site. Click the available plans page. Only residents in the counties Broward, Flagler, Miami-Dade and Volusia are covered. Click the plans out find no health insurance company covers for hospital stays for basic coverage. The more expensive plans call for out-of-pocket payments. Cover Florida can deny medical payment for one year, if a pre-existing condition is discovered. The various do not guarantee a patient will not be dropped. Crist can keep his health reform.