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Issue record

Health care

In short

Beltran's campaign backs fewer barriers to new clinics and more telehealth. Castor's office says she helped draft the Affordable Care Act; Lambert's campaign backs competition and upfront prices. On the record, Beltran voted for 2019 laws ending state approval rules for hospitals and expanding telehealth, and cast the lone No on two 2024 health bills. Castor voted for the Affordable Care Act, which came from the Senate's bill; her amendment shaped the House bill.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

Mike Beltran

Would bring to Congress his state record on health care access: fewer barriers to new clinics and more telehealth.

Kathy Castor

Says she helped draft the Affordable Care Act and defends its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Says she led bipartisan bills on treatments for children with cancer and rare diseases.

Brian Lambert

Wants more patient choice through competition, upfront prices and fewer federal mandates.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    Kathy Castor: Matches stated record claim

    Her ACE Kids option became law in 2019. She cosponsored the kids' cancer bill enacted in a 2026 spending act, voting for that act first and against its final version.

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    Full detail

    Her campaign says she led bipartisan bills to improve health care for the sickest kids, including by expanding access to treatments for cancer and rare diseases. She sponsored the ACE Kids Act in 2019, with two Republicans and a Democrat as original cosponsors. Its new Medicaid option for coordinated care of children with medically complex conditions became law almost word for word in April 2019, as section 3 of Public Law 116-16. She was also one of ten original cosponsors, with the sponsor Rep. McCaul, of the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act on children's cancer drugs. It passed the House by voice vote in December 2025 and became law in February 2026 as Division J, Title VI, Subtitle A of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026. Limit: 313 members cosponsored the Give Kids a Chance Act. She voted Yea on the spending act in January 2026 and Nay on its final version on February 3, 217-214.

  2. official action

    Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

    He voted for 2019 laws ending certificate-of-need review for hospitals and expanding telehealth, but cast the only No on two 2024 Senate health care bills.

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    Full detail

    His campaign says he broke up health care bureaucracies that blocked new clinics from opening, and expanded telehealth access. In 2019 he voted Y on the bill that ended certificate-of-need review for general hospitals, 81-34, and on the telehealth law, 113-0. In 2024 he cast the only No vote, 117-1, on the Senate's health care access package, which funded loan repayment and residencies, set rules for advanced birth centers and joined Florida to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact. The same day he was the only No on a second Senate health bill, for health care innovation loans. Limit: He voted for both 2019 laws but did not sponsor them. The 2019 repeal covered hospitals, not clinics. His 2024 No votes cut the other way, and no recorded reason for them was found.

  3. official action

    Kathy Castor: Matches stated direction

    She voted for the House health bill and the final law, and her wellness grants amendment shaped the House bill, but the law that passed came from the Senate's bill.

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    Full detail

    Her office says she helped draft the Affordable Care Act that passed in 2010. She voted Aye on the House health bill in November 2009, 220-215, and Aye on March 21, 2010, as the House passed the Senate's bill, 219-212, sending the Affordable Care Act to the President. The Energy and Commerce Committee's report on the House bill records her amendment for employer wellness program grants, which the committee recommended in September 2009; the House bill had a wellness grants section. Limit: Her committee work was on the House bill, and the law that passed came from the Senate's bill. Its wellness grants are written differently from hers.

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Sources23 source records

How we use sources

  1. Mike Beltran for Congress, platformhttps://beltranforcongress.com/platform

    Mike Beltran for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Captured 2026-10-01. Thirteen headings, from health care and taxes to guns, abortion and elections.

    candidate statement

    For: Mike Beltran: campaign position; Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  2. Health Carehttps://castor.house.gov/issues/issue/?IssueID=2559

    Office of Rep. Kathy Castor · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Her House office's issue page, read 2026-10-01. Undated. Says she helped draft the Affordable Care Act.

    official office record

    For: Kathy Castor: campaign position; Kathy Castor: Matches stated direction

  3. Castor for Congress, about Kathyhttps://castorforcongress.com/about/

    Castor for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Captured 2026-10-01. Her biography and the record she claims: the infrastructure law, children's health bills, veterans and a military pay raise.

    candidate statement

    For: Kathy Castor: campaign position; Kathy Castor: Matches stated record claim

  4. Brian Lambert for Congress, healthcarehttps://www.brianlambertforcongress.com/issues/healthcare

    Brian Lambert for Congress · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Captured 2026-10-01.

    candidate statement

    For: Brian Lambert: campaign position

  5. H.R. 1226, ACE Kids Act of 2019 (116th Congress)https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1226

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Read through the Congress.gov API on 2026-10-01. Sponsor Rep. Castor, introduced 2019-02-14. Original cosponsors Bilirakis (R-FL), Eshoo (D-CA) and Herrera Beutler (R-WA); 31 cosponsors in all. Its section 2 adds a new section 1945A to the Social Security Act.

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated record claim

  6. Public Law 116-16, Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-116publ16

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Enacted 2019-04-18 from H.R. 1839, which passed the House by voice vote. Section 3 adds section 1945A to the Social Security Act. Compared word by word on 2026-10-01 with H.R. 1226's section 1945A: the two match except for one hyphen.

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated record claim

  7. H.R. 1262, Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act (119th Congress)https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1262

    Congress.gov · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Read through the Congress.gov API on 2026-10-01. Sponsor Rep. McCaul; Castor is one of ten original cosponsors, dated 2025-02-12, of 313 in all. Passed the House by voice vote on 2025-12-01; the bill itself stopped in the Senate.

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated record claim

  8. Public Law 119-75, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/PLAW-119publ75

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Enacted 2026-02-03. Title VI, Subtitle A is the Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act. Read from the GovInfo package text on 2026-10-01.

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated record claim

  9. House roll call 45, 119th Congress, 2nd session (document)

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    On passage of H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, 2026-01-22. Passed 341-88. Castor voted Yea.

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated record claim

  10. House roll call 53, 119th Congress, 2nd session (document)

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    On agreeing to the Senate amendments to H.R. 7148, the vote that sent it to the President, 2026-02-03. Passed 217-214. Castor voted Nay.

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated record claim

  11. House vote, CS/HB 21 passage, April 29, 2019 (document)

    Florida House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Passed 81-34. Beltran (District 57) voted Y.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  12. CS/HB 21 (2019), Hospital Licensurehttps://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2019/21

    The Florida Senate · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Became chapter 2019-136. House sponsor Rep. Fitzenhagen. The House staff's final analysis says it ended certificate-of-need review for general hospitals, complex rehabilitation beds and tertiary services in 2019, and for specialty hospitals in 2021.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  13. CS/HB 21 (2019), House staff final bill analysis (document)

    Florida House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Says the bill ends certificate-of-need review for general hospitals, complex rehabilitation beds and tertiary services.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  14. House vote, CS/CS/HB 23 passage, April 29, 2019 (document)

    Florida House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Passed 113-0. Beltran voted Y.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  15. CS/CS/HB 23 (2019), Telehealthhttps://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2019/23

    The Florida Senate · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Became chapter 2019-137. House sponsor Rep. Yarborough and others. Lets Florida-licensed professionals, and registered out-of-state ones, treat Florida patients by telehealth.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  16. House vote, CS/SB 7016 passage, February 22, 2024 (document)

    Florida House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Passed 117-1. Beltran cast the only N.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  17. CS/SB 7016 (2024), Health Carehttps://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/7016

    The Florida Senate · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Became chapter 2024-15. The Senate's health care access package: loan repayment, residency slots and licensure for foreign-trained doctors, rules for advanced birth centers, and Florida joining the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  18. House vote, SB 7018 passage, February 22, 2024 (document)

    Florida House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Passed 117-1. Beltran cast the only N.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  19. SB 7018 (2024), Health Care Innovationhttps://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/7018

    The Florida Senate · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    Became chapter 2024-16. Creates a Health Care Innovation Council and a revolving loan fund for health care innovations.

    official legislative record

    For: Mike Beltran: Matches stated direction

  20. House roll call 887, 111th Congress, 1st session (document)

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    On passage of H.R. 3962, the House health care bill, 2009-11-07. Passed 220-215. Castor voted Aye.

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated direction

  21. House roll call 165, 111th Congress, 2nd session (document)

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    On concurring in the Senate amendments to H.R. 3590, the Affordable Care Act, 2010-03-21. Passed 219-212. Castor voted Aye.

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated direction

  22. H. Rept. 111-299, Part 1, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-111hrpt299/html/CRPT-111hrpt299-pt1.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The Energy and Commerce Committee's report on H.R. 3200, the House health bill, printed 2009-10-14. On 2009-09-23 the committee voted 28-22 to send the Rules Committee a set of recommended amendments, including "An amendment by Rep. Castor of Florida--To provide grants for employer wellness programs." Its text is printed as [Castor 7_001:].

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated direction

  23. H.R. 3962 (111th Congress), as passed by the Househttps://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BILLS-111hr3962eh

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Reviewed Oct 1, 2026

    The House health bill passed 2009-11-07. Section 112 is Wellness Program Grants: grants to small employers for half the cost of a qualified wellness program, up to three years and $50,000. The final law, Public Law 111-148, has a different small-business wellness grant program in section 10408.

    official legislative record

    For: Kathy Castor: Matches stated direction