AGP Executive Report

Workforce & Training: UAMS held commencement for 1,237 health professionals, awarding 1,249 degrees/certificates across medicine, nursing, health professions, pharmacy, public health, and graduate school. Puerto Rico Policy Spotlight: In New York’s NY-7 race, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso is pushing a Puerto Rico-focused federal platform tied to self-determination, Jones Act changes, and scrutiny of LUMA Energy—positioning himself to carry forward Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s agenda. Ports & Supply Chain: Delegate Stacey E. Plaskett says her office is coordinating with the Coast Guard and Puerto Rico Ports Authority over Water Spirit’s San Juan docking restrictions, warning of disruption for USVI and nearby routes. Health Watch: A NIH-funded newborn genome sequencing project (BEACONS) is drawing parent backlash, with critics arguing it expands genetic reach via newborn screening systems. Local Health Funding: Gov. Jenniffer González Colón’s proposed FY2027 consolidated budget totals $33.57B, with major allocations for public safety, health, and education. Animal Health Incident: Camarero Racetrack reported a stable fire that injured at least two horses with minor burns.

Water & Trade Disruption: Delegate Stacey E. Plaskett says her office is in active contact with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority over docking restrictions affecting Water Spirit Freight Services, raising alarms about delays moving goods between San Juan, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Tortola. Medicare for Travelers: A new explainer breaks down how Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage handle care while you’re away, including the limits outside the U.S. Animal Welfare Push: Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy are urging MLB to investigate Dodgers pitcher Edwin Díaz over alleged illegal cockfighting ties in Puerto Rico. Newborn Genomics Warning: A parent advisory flags the NIH-funded BEACONS project, saying it will use newborn blood spots to sequence whole genomes in Puerto Rico and other states. Puerto Rico Budget Focus: Gov. Jenniffer González Colón’s proposed FY2027 consolidated budget totals $33.57B, with $13.18B from the General Fund and major emphasis on public safety, health, and education. Health Workforce/Access: Sagrado Corazón University earns a 2026 innovation award, while MMM Multihealth announces scholarships up to $8,000 for students entering nursing and other health careers.

Puerto Rico Budget Watch: Gov. Jenniffer González Colón’s proposed FY2027 consolidated budget totals $33.57B, with $13.18B from the General Fund, and the biggest allocations landing in public safety, health, and education—including $1.07B for the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. Health & Care: A new Health First–Parrish stroke network aims to coordinate and standardize stroke treatment across Brevard County hospitals, underscoring how faster, better-aligned care can reduce disability risk. Insurance Industry: The CCPA will host its 27th Annual Insurance Industry Forum this Thursday at the Caribe Hilton, with sessions covering health, life, and property/casualty trends and how the sector supports access to healthcare. Public Health Signal: A CDC report highlights a sharp rise in dengue cases tied largely to travel, with Puerto Rico and the USVI showing up among key sources. Local Incident: At Camarero Racetrack in Canóvanas, a fire in two stables left at least two horses burned and authorities are investigating.

Public Health & Safety: A measles outbreak that started in Texas has now crossed into Mexico, where officials report deaths and thousands of cases since 2025—another reminder that two-dose vaccination coverage is the real line of defense. Healthcare Access: In Puerto Rico, a new scholarship push from MMM Multihealth will award seven health-care education scholarships of up to $8,000, aiming to grow the next generation of clinicians. Clinical Practice: At Retina World Congress 2026, University of Puerto Rico ophthalmology faculty discussed how supraorbital vibration may reduce pain during intravitreal injections—an easy, non-invasive add-on to topical anesthesia. Disaster Recovery: FEMA approved nearly $40 million for Puerto Rico recovery, including COVID-19 reimbursement and work tied to past disasters. Local Logistics: In the USVI, a San Juan docking restriction tied to a cargo vessel is raising cargo disruption concerns for residents and businesses. Sports & Health: Elsewhere, MLB’s José Berríos is facing an elbow surgery timeline that could stretch well beyond a few months.

Stroke Care Deal: Health First and Parrish Healthcare just formalized a clinically integrated stroke network across Brevard County, aligning protocols across all four Health First hospitals plus Parrish Medical Center—because in stroke, minutes and coordination can decide recovery vs. lifelong disability. Pain-Relief Research: At Retina World Congress 2026, UPR ophthalmology faculty discussed using supraorbital vibration alongside topical anesthesia to ease discomfort during intravitreal injections. Puerto Rico Health Funding: FEMA approved nearly $40M for Puerto Rico recovery, including COVID-19-related reimbursements and work tied to past disasters. Care Access Pressure: A CDC travel notice highlights a sharp rise in dengue cases tied largely to travel from the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands—raising the stakes for prevention and clinical readiness. Local Health Workforce Support: MMM Multihealth announced Puerto Rico scholarships up to $8,000 for students training for nursing, PT, and psychology careers.

Community Fundraising: Support is growing for Puerto Rico-area cancer patient Cami Morgan, with a May 23 “Cakes and Plates” benefit at Ponce de Leon City Hall plus a firearm raffle to help cover medical costs. Healthcare Access: MMM Multihealth announced Puerto Rico scholarships—7 awards up to $8,000—for students training in nursing, PT, or psychology. Public Health & Safety: FEMA approved nearly $40M for Puerto Rico recovery, including COVID-19 reimbursement and disaster-related work. Care Capacity Pressure: A separate report flags pregnant women in Puerto Rico facing longer travel times as obstetric services become scarcer. Local Infrastructure: The Caño Martín Peña Restoration Project enters a new phase with Contract 3’s Phase 1 start, backed by $57.4M. System Watch: Blue Cross Blue Shield faces major antitrust fallout tied to claims that competition was limited across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Health Workforce & Education: MMM Multihealth says it’s funding Puerto Rico health-care career pathways with seven scholarships of up to $8,000, administered through Scholarship of America. Public Health Funding: FEMA approved nearly $40M for Puerto Rico recovery, including $23.8M tied to COVID-19 costs and $15.9M for past disaster work. Local Care Access Pressure: A new report flags that pregnant women in Puerto Rico are traveling hours for obstetric care as services thin out. Infrastructure for Health & Safety: The Caño Martín Peña restoration project moves into a new contract phase, with $57.4M starting Phase 1 dredging to reconnect the lagoon system with San Juan Bay. Supply Chain & Security: A broader U.S. debate continues over medicine supply-chain vulnerability and the need to strengthen domestic capacity. Maritime Disruption: A San Juan docking restriction tied to Water Spirit Freight Services is raising cargo disruption concerns for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Animal Welfare & Sports Scrutiny: Allegations of illegal cockfighting involving Puerto Rican athletes are prompting calls for MLB and racing authorities to act.

FEMA Funding Boost: FEMA approved nearly $40M for Puerto Rico recovery—$23.8M tied to COVID-19 costs and $15.9M for past disasters—after reviews aimed at preventing duplication and fraud. Local Infrastructure: The Caño Martín Peña Restoration Project moved into a new phase, with $57.4M for dredging and reconnecting the lagoon system to San Juan Bay. Maternal Care Pressure: A Puerto Rico health registry check found many OB-GYNs aren’t delivering care—only 63 doctors were reached as pregnancy-delivery providers, leaving most municipalities without accessible delivery services. Healthcare Supply Chain Warning: A new national security push highlights how medicine supply chains—especially reliance on foreign APIs—remain a vulnerability. Regulatory/Legal Heat: The Center for Food Safety sued the EPA over records on disposal of pesticide-coated seeds, renewing pressure to close a long-running loophole. Community Health & Culture: Puerto Rico LGBTQ organizers say “Live Your Pride” was canceled, underscoring how mental health and inclusion spaces are under strain.

Access Crunch in Puerto Rico Maternity Care: A new Gender Investigative Unit review found only 63 of 220 contacted OB-GYN offices actually treat pregnancies through delivery, with 145 (66%) saying they no longer do so; seven out of 10 municipalities lacked a reachable delivery-capable OB-GYN office, and among those accepting new patients, about 47 take Plan Vital. Local Health Workforce Pressure: The findings land as Puerto Rico’s health system faces ongoing strain, including reports of pregnant women traveling hours for care as obstetric services become scarcer. Biotech Manufacturing Boost: Amgen announced an additional $300M investment to expand biologics manufacturing at its Juncos, Puerto Rico facility, aiming to increase capacity and create hundreds of construction jobs. Campus Operations Update: UPR Mayagüez began a gradual return to in-person operations after reopening access points, with safety and continuity of services driving the phased plan.

Obstetric Access Crunch: Puerto Rico’s Health Department says only 63 of 468 licensed OB-GYNs it contacted actually deliver babies, and just 56 are taking new patients—leaving many municipalities with no reachable delivery-focused office—while pregnant people report having to travel hours for care as services thin out. Biotech Workforce Boost: Maryland’s BioHub Maryland is partnering with NIBRT to reshape regional life-sciences training as the state shifts beyond monoclonal antibodies into cell and gene therapy. Manufacturing Investment: Amgen is adding $300M to expand biologics manufacturing at its Juncos, Puerto Rico site, aiming to grow capacity and create construction jobs. Community Care Under Strain: “Live Your Pride,” a Puerto Rico LGBTQ older-adult event in Isabela, was canceled amid financial and organizational challenges—highlighting how fragile safe spaces are. Policy Pressure: A U.S. House committee voted to block marijuana rescheduling funding, even as the administration moves forward.

Medicare Advantage Pressure on Puerto Rico Labs: Puerto Rico’s clinical laboratories are pushing for tighter oversight after federal officials projected a $561M+ funding increase for Medicare Advantage in 2027, while the labs’ own lawsuit over alleged up to 25% reimbursement cuts was sent back to local court. School Safety Push: Students in Aguada backed a House proposal for a Uniform Emergency Code System in schools, aiming to standardize alerts with color codes, pictograms, posters, and drills. New Local Manufacturing: Humacao opened Onovexa with a $36.2M investment and 203 jobs, supported by DDEC incentives. Health System Watch: A federal judge also sent a PR labs reimbursement dispute back to Puerto Rico court, keeping the reimbursement fight front and center. Elsewhere (Context): A norovirus outbreak on a cruise ship and a major EPA FOIA lawsuit over pesticide-coated seeds dominated broader headlines, but Puerto Rico’s latest items stay focused on care access and lab reimbursement.

Medicare Advantage Fight in Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico clinical labs are pushing back hard after a federal judge sent their reimbursement dispute back to local court, even as officials project a $561M+ bump for 2027 Medicare Advantage payments—ALCPR says insurers cut lab reimbursements by up to 25% and wants tighter oversight. School Safety Push: Students from Aguada testified in the Puerto Rico House for a “Uniform Emergency Code System,” aiming to standardize school alert color codes, pictograms, drills, and posters so emergencies don’t get handled differently from campus to campus. Local Health Economy: Humacao opened Onovexa with a $36.2M investment and 203 direct jobs, supported by DDEC incentives—another sign of manufacturing growth tied to Puerto Rico’s broader workforce and health-sector ecosystem. Health Policy Context: The week also included broader U.S. pressure on toxic air rules and public health protections, underscoring how federal decisions can quickly ripple into local care and community risk.

New Local Investment: Humacao just welcomed Onovexa, a $36.2M manufacturing operation backed by $9.2M in DDEC incentives, aiming to create 203 direct jobs producing disposable towels, wet wipes, and absorbent pet-and-people products. Public Health & Safety: A man pleaded guilty in federal court for opening an emergency exit door on a JetBlue flight bound for Puerto Rico—an incident that triggered an immediate crew response and now moves toward sentencing. Care Access Spotlight: Veterans are preparing for Honor Flight’s return, while the Tampa VA’s amputation rehab team continues drawing patients from across the Southeast, including Puerto Rico. Health Workforce Momentum: Blinn College honored 14 dental hygiene graduates, underscoring steady pipeline growth for oral health services. Broader Context: Puerto Rico also remains in the news for water resilience efforts in rural communities, where filtration and access challenges persist.

Food & Health Watch: Florida is bracing for another wave of sargassum on its beaches, but scientists are also testing whether the seaweed could be turned into food ingredients—just not from the shoreline, due to contamination risks. Puerto Rico Water & Access: In Las Marías, a rural community is pushing to improve drinking water after heavy rains worsen landslides and sediment problems, especially where PRASA service doesn’t reach. Local Tech for Care: IslaIntel says it joined Oracle’s PartnerNetwork to deliver enterprise-grade AI and automation for sectors including healthcare across the Caribbean and LATAM. Healthcare Workforce/Access: A Tampa VA prosthetics and rehab center is drawing veterans from multiple states and Puerto Rico for custom limb care. Policy & Oversight: A FOIA lawsuit targets the EPA over how pesticide-coated seeds are handled and disposed of, raising concerns about environmental and health impacts. Culture & Community: Boston’s La CASA is opening as New England’s largest Latino cultural center, built by Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción.

Norovirus Watch (Puerto Rico): Puerto Rico’s Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero is pushing back against “social media alarmism” after reports tied to a norovirus outbreak on the Princess Caribbean Princess, where 115 passengers and crew reportedly fell ill; he says the Department of Health has protocols and daily surveillance, and urges people to rely on official channels. Rehab Capacity: Encompass Health announced plans for a 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Post Falls, Idaho, expected to open in 2028—an example of how specialized recovery services are expanding beyond major metros. Local Health Education: A new UPR Mayagüez school psychology doctoral milestone highlights how training continues despite campus shutdowns and strikes. Food Safety & Policy: A Center for Food Safety FOIA lawsuit targets EPA records on pesticide-coated seed disposal, arguing a regulatory loophole is leaving contamination risks unaddressed. Tech in Healthcare: IslaIntel says it joined Oracle’s partner network to deliver enterprise-grade AI and automation for sectors including healthcare across the Caribbean and LATAM.

Norovirus on Caribbean Princess: Puerto Rico’s Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero is urging residents not to be swayed by “social media alarmism” after a norovirus outbreak sickened 102 passengers and 13 crew aboard the Caribbean Princess, with 115 reported cases tied to vomiting and diarrhea; the ship is scheduled to dock in Port Canaveral May 11 for “comprehensive cleaning and disinfection,” while the Department of Health says it’s already using established surveillance and inter-agency protocols. Cruise-Safety Pressure: The outbreak comes as cruise health scrutiny stays high across the region, with authorities emphasizing hygiene and rapid isolation of ill travelers. Local Governance & Health Messaging: Ramos Otero’s call highlights how Puerto Rico’s public health response is being framed in real time—through official channels—during fast-moving travel incidents. Puerto Rico Health System Stress (context): Separately, commentary continues to spotlight the University of Puerto Rico crisis and how budget cuts have left the system struggling to transform. Food Safety Watch: Outside PR, a new EPA FOIA lawsuit targets records on pesticide-coated seed disposal, adding to broader public-health and environmental concerns.