Ron DeSantis addressed attendees at the Oracle Health and Life Sciences Summit in Orlando on September 23, focusing on Florida’s economic performance, rural healthcare initiatives, and efforts to combat Medicaid fraud.
Seema Verma, EVP & GM of Oracle Health and Life Sciences, introduced DeSantis. She noted that Florida is a fast-growing state and ranks second in the nation for its share of the population over 65.
DeSantis discussed the state’s economy, noting that spending has decreased despite population growth and continued inflation. He cited data from the past four years to support the claim.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, DeSantis argued that schools remained open and businesses were protected from local government intervention. He criticized the response, describing a “hysterical perspective” from medical and political elites. The governor said people have lost more confidence in the medical establishment due to COVID than in any other event in his lifetime. He cited the requirement for children to wear masks in kindergarten as a key example of policies without evidence.
DeSantis claimed that many medical institutions implemented draconian visitation policies that caused “incalculable damage.” He argued that politics and ideology were placed ahead of evidence-based medicine.
Regarding rural healthcare, DeSantis said more than $209 million has been awarded through the federal rural health transformation program. The funding focuses on workforce training, technological infrastructure, and access to care. He listed specific solutions, including mobile health units, remote patient monitoring, and advanced telehealth services. This investment aims to address the specific challenges of providing medical services in non-urban areas.
DeSantis also highlighted efforts to combat Medicaid fraud in partnership with the Trump administration. He announced the creation of a new technology program designed to uncover sophisticated fraud schemes using artificial intelligence. The governor ordered enrollment moratoriums on high-risk providers to stop the “pay-and-chase” model, where fraudulent claims are paid before investigation. A statewide revalidation effort for all active Medicaid providers was also announced.
On the topic of artificial intelligence, DeSantis expressed skepticism about general applications, referring to the output as “slop.” He suggested limited benefits for society from broad AI use, while identifying military operations and medicine as areas with potential for positive advances. The governor emphasized the need to protect individual data integrity and maintain privacy.
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