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Florida Health Insurance Companies
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Florida Health Insurance Options
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How to Get the Most Savings
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Florida Health Insurance FAQS
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How to Enroll in Health Insurance in Florida
Florida Health Insurance Companies
Florida has plenty of variety when it comes to health insurance companies. There are around 14 companies that currently offer private and family health insurance. Here’s a look at a few of them:
Florida Blue
A subdivision of BlueCross BlueShield, Florida Blue offers Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans. Their PPOs allow you to choose your providers, and are ACA-compliant, offering free preventive care, vaccines, and screenings like mammograms.
Cigna
Cigna offers some of the cheapest options in Florida for health insurance. They offer plans with different levels of coverage, known as metal tiers: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. These tiers do not indicate the quality of care you receive, but the amount you will pay out-of-pocket versus the amount the plan will pay. Bronze tier plans cover 60% of medical bills, Silver plans cover 70%, and Gold plans cover 80%. Some Cigna plans also offer discounts for gym memberships and health clubs as an incentive for policyholders to take better care of themselves.
It’s important to note that Cigna plans are only offered in 11 counties in Florida:
- Broward
- Collier
- Indian River
- Lake
- Leon
- Martin
- Palm Beach
- Orange
- Osceola
- Seminole
- St.Lucie
Florida Health Care Plans
FHCP offers affordable healthcare plans in Volusia, Flagler, Seminole, Brevard, and St. Johns counties. They have an extensive network with access to labs, primary care clinics, pharmacies, radiology, and after-hours care facilities. They are experts in insurance, wellness, and health.
Health Insurance Marketplace in Florida
If you’re looking for health insurance in Florida, a great place to start is the health insurance Marketplace. Marketplace health insurance, which was created by the Affordable Care Act, offers certain consumer protections, guarantees coverage for pre-existing conditions, and includes what are known as the “10 essential health benefits”:
- Ambulatory patient services (outpatient care)
- Emergency services
- Hospitalization
- Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care (both before and after birth)
- Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment (including counseling and psychotherapy)
- Prescription drugs
- Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
- Laboratory services
- Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
- Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)
Whether you want a Marketplace plan, or a plan from a private insurer, an EZ agent can help. We work with all carriers across the country and can compare all options available.
Over half of the uninsured in Florida who qualify for Marketplace insurance coverage could get a Bronze plan for FREE.
Florida’s Short Term Health Insurance Guidelines
If you’ve missed the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) or need health insurance for a short amount of time, short-term plans are a great option. It’s important to note, though, that these policies tend to only cover the basics, and you can be denied one of these plans if you have a pre-existing condition. Not all states offer these plans, and there are both federal and state rules that govern how they can be offered.
Florida adheres to federal guidelines when it comes to short-term health insurance. This means your initial plan will be in effect for 364 days, and you can renew up to three times, giving you a maximum of three years of coverage. Once your plan expires, you are allowed to purchase an additional short-term plan.
Florida Health Insurance Options
Aside from buying a policy on your own, there are a few other options for getting covered in Florida. Speak to your employer about your group health plan options, since buying a plan through your employer is often cheaper than doing so on your own. While there are no laws in Florida requiring employers to offer health insurance packages, many still do.
Government assistance is also an option. If you are 65 or older, or have a qualifying disability, you can get a low-cost Medicare plan. For individuals or families with low income, you could also get a low-cost or free plan through Medicaid, but you have to meet certain income requirements to be eligible for these plans.
As stated above, one of the best options for finding insurance is the Health Insurance Marketplace. Florida did not opt to take funding to create their own state-run exchange; instead, residents can use the federal exchange. Through this exchange you can shop and compare plans, and even find out if you qualify for government-assisted programs.
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How to Get the Most Savings
Florida is one of the top 5 most expensive states when it comes to per capita healthcare spending, coming in at number 4! The average annual cost of healthcare for a Florida resident is $9,501 per year. Being in one of the top 5 most expensive states for healthcare means you’ll need to find ways to save.
Your health can be a factor in your health insurance premium rates. A large part of that is your BMI (body mass index). If you’re among the 27% of adults in Florida who are considered obese, utilizing some of your insurer’s benefits such as discounted gym memberships can help keep you out of that category, and keep your premiums down.
Quitting smoking is another great way to save on your healthcare costs, as well to make you healthier overall and extend your life. In fact, did you know smoking can increase your insurance premiums by up to 50%? That’s a big difference in price, so if you’re among the 14.7% of Floridians who smoke, consider quitting to keep your premiums lower.
Where you live also affects your premiums. If you’re moving to Florida, or considering a move within the state, keep in mind there are a few areas that have cheaper plans since they have more medical providers. Highlands, Charlotte, and Palm Beach counties are areas that have the cheapest plans.
Working with an agent can also save you money. In fact, working with an EZ agent can save you hundreds of dollars a year. We can find local discounts and work with your budget to find the cheapest plan with the most coverage for you. And to tack on even more savings, our services are free and have no obligation.
Florida Health Insurance FAQS
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Does Florida require you to have health insurance?
While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) still requires people to have health insurance, there is no longer a federal tax penalty for not having a plan. Florida has no state laws requiring coverage either, but just because it’s not required doesn’t mean you don’t need insurance.
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What is the cheapest health insurance in Florida?
The cheapest health plan will be a Bronze plan, which can start as low as $356 a month. Remember, though, health insurance plan prices can vary depending on age, zip code, gender, and other factors. More than half of Florida residents who qualify for a Marketplace plan can actually get a Bronze plan for free.
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How much does health insurance cost in Florida?
The average monthly premium for health insurance in Florida is $560, or $6,720 per year, with plans as low as $356 a month to as high as $1,100. But do not let these numbers scare you. More than half of uninsured people in Florida qualify for a $0 Bronze plan and don’t even know it.
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Which insurance companies offer coverage in Florida?
The companies that offer insurance in Florida are AvMed, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Bright Health Insurance Company, Capital Health Plan, Ambetter/Celtic, Cigna, Coventry/Aetna-CVS, Florida Health Care Plan Inc, Health First Health Plans, Molina, Oscar Health, Florida Blue HMO, Sunshine State Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare.
How to Enroll in Health Insurance in Florida
There are several ways to enroll in a health insurance plan in Florida. You can enroll through your employer if they offer a plan, buy a plan through an insurer’s website, or use the Marketplace. No matter which option you choose, enrolling can be time-consuming and stressful. But EZ is here to help! We can walk you through the enrollment process while answering any questions you might have. We will take the information you provide and review all of your options, being careful to keep your medical and financial needs, as well as any subsidies you qualify for, in mind. With all of this information, we will compare all available plans and present you with options, then help you enroll in your choice. We’ll make this process quick and easy, and we won’t ever charge you for it..
If you still have questions, feel free to give us a call at 877-670-3557. When you call, you will be directly connected to a local insurance agent who can answer all of your questions and help you find the health insurance plan that works best for you.
