The new revenue will pay for heart and cancer screenings, as well as primary and preventive care for residents who cannot afford it. The county will establish an independent agency to administer the program, with an expert advisory panel helping oversee it.

Broward County Mayor Mark Bogen championed the initiative, arguing that insurance does not always cover the screenings and medical care residents need. He said the goal is to make potentially lifesaving care available regardless of a person's financial situation.

"Regardless if you're making a dollar a year or a million dollars a year, you're going to have the same access to the Cleveland Clinics, the University of Miamis and Baptists and all of the other hospitals out there," Bogen said. "It will level the playing field for everybody."

Dr. Gilberto Lopez, chief medical oncologist at the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, said the program could be especially important for people who are uninsured or underinsured.

"In Florida as a whole, a lot of people have not been able to maintain their health insurance, and that is true in Broward County as well," Lopez said. "So our people absolutely need help with anything related to healthcare costs and underinsurance."

Supporters point to heart disease and cancer as leading causes of death and say greater access to screening and early detection could help prevent illness or identify disease sooner. The mayor and medical community also say as many as 80% of heart attacks are preventable, emphasizing preventive care and early detection as key goals of the new program.

The approval stands in contrast to other Florida ballot measures aimed at lowering taxes, signaling Broward voters' willingness to invest in public health infrastructure. The program's independent agency and advisory panel are intended to ensure expert oversight of the funds.