Florida COPD Patients Face Insurance Delays
Advocates say earlier diagnosis and fewer prior authorization hurdles could keep more Floridians out of the emergency room.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Asthma
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Should lawmakers cut insurance prior authorization delays for chronic lung disease treatment?
Florida physicians used COPD Awareness Month to urge earlier diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and an end to insurance barriers that delay treatment. The COPD Action Alliance and the Florida Thoracic Society called on policymakers to cut prior authorization delays and expand coverage for Floridians living with the disease.
Why it matters
COPD is a leading cause of emergency visits and hospital stays in Florida, and many of those admissions may be preventable with timely care. Patients who wait on prior authorization or are required to fail on one inhaler before receiving the prescribed one often end up in the emergency room, making access policy a direct health issue for the state's large COPD population.
The figures come from state-level hospitalization, emergency department and death records alongside a survey of adults who report a prior COPD diagnosis. Florida's age-adjusted hospitalization rate has fallen nearly 60% since 2014, while 6.8% of adults say they have been told they have the disease.
The players
COPD Action Alliance
A patient advocacy organization focused on improving diagnosis, treatment access and policy for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Florida Thoracic Society
A state professional society of lung and chest physicians that advocates for respiratory care and the treatment of lung disease.
University of Florida College of Medicine
A major Florida medical school whose Jacksonville campus was cited in connection with COPD care and education.
The details
COPD is commonly detected with spirometry, a simple breathing test that measures how much air a person can exhale and how quickly. Advocates say patients still face prior authorization delays or are required to fail on one inhaler before insurers approve the prescribed one, which can leave symptoms uncontrolled. One in four people with COPD never smoked, so the disease is not confined to a single risk profile.
Timeline
2014: Start of the period in which Florida's COPD hospitalization rate fell nearly 60%.
2019: Florida enacted a firefighter law covering 21 cancers; COPD is not on the list.
2021: 10,735 COPD deaths were recorded in Florida.
2022: Florida enacted step therapy reform.
2025: Nearly 35,000 COPD hospitalizations were recorded across Florida.
Health Landscape
Florida's COPD hospitalization rate has fallen nearly 60% since 2014, a sustained population-level improvement. Advocates argue that the 2022 step therapy reform law has not fully resolved inhaler access, and that coverage rules remain a barrier to treatment for many patients.
If you have a persistent cough, shortness of breath or frequent chest tightness, especially if you have a smoking history or were never a smoker, it is worth raising spirometry testing with your doctor. If your prescribed inhaler is delayed by insurance, ask your physician whether a formulary exception or prior authorization review is available.
The takeaway
Earlier diagnosis and fewer insurance hurdles are the two levers advocates say could keep more Floridians with COPD out of emergency rooms. If you have symptoms or a delayed prescription, a conversation with your physician about breathing testing and coverage options is a practical first step.
Further reading
For more on airway conditions and how they are managed, explore our Asthma coverage.
More information
Find COPD Action Alliance information and resources on diagnosis, treatment and access.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Sanford Herald.
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Should lawmakers cut insurance prior authorization delays for chronic lung disease treatment?
