For the second year in a row, the Florida Department of Health is considering a proposal to create a state-of-the-art tuberculosis hospital and research center on the Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University.

But this year it might be closer to reality.

More here.

Sen. Durell Peaden, Jr., motioned with his hand for a reporter to enter his office while he was on his cell phone telling his wife that she’d be proud of him: He was offered some of the best apple dumplings he’d ever tasted that afternoon and only had a few bites. “She’s got me on a diet,” the Panhandle Republican explained after hanging up.

Peaden, the Senate’s top health & human services budget writer, isn’t just trying to manage his own health. He’s also in the middle of a hot debate over how the state should use a shrinking supply of tax money to pay for the increasing demand for public health services.

This 13-minute podcast starts off with a discussion with Peaden about A.G. Holley in Palm Beach County, the last free standing tuberculosis hospital in the country that was nearly axed from the state budget last year. It’s on the chopping block again with neither Gov. Charlie Crist nor the Senate including money for the hospital in their budget proposals (not sure about the House as of this moment).

Peaden, whose relatives have helped shape Florida policy since before statehood, discusses an equally long personal history with TB (including his own son being diagnosed with the disease that killed most of his ancestors).

“Somewhere there will be funding for AG Holley. It will not be neglected. Trust me. Because we’ll have the court on us or the governor or DCF … That will not go unfunded or uncovered. Trust me.”

Peaden also discusses the cigarette tax increase included in the Senate’s budget.

“Smoke ‘em, chew ‘em, dip ‘em or whatever. We have to tax ‘em. We have to tax cigars. Doesn’t matter if its … smuggled in from Castro. It doesn’t matter. They need to be taxed.”

Peaden says the money should not be earmarked for anything more specific than the state health budget (Sen. Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, wants to tie some of the new money to cancer research). But he says the new money shouldn’t replace what the state already spends on health care.

Listen to the podcast here (Or right click on the link to download.)