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Health Plan To Start In January

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By BILL KACZOR

The Associated Press

Published: December 11, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - About 3.8 million uninsured Floridians can start applying for low-cost health coverage through a new state program on Jan. 5.

Gov. Charlie Crist signed contracts Wednesday with six insurance companies chosen through competitive bidding.

They will provide 25 Cover Florida plans for adults of ages of 19 to 64. Some policies will be available for children, but the state already offers low-cost coverage for them through existing programs.

"This is about helping people," Crist said at a signing ceremony attended by state, business and insurance officials.

The average monthly premium for the entire program is $155. Some policies - averaging $155 or less - will cover only the basics such as office visits, screenings, emergency room care and prescription drugs. Others will offer hospitalization and catastrophic coverage, but they will cost more.

Consumers can save 50 percent or more over similar polices available on the open market, but the state plans have less comprehensive coverage.

David Foy, Crist's policy director, said hospitalization policies, for instance, offer 365 days of coverage a year. A Cover Florida policy may be for only 10 or 15 days, which should be enough in most cases, as the average hospital stay is no more than five days, Foy said.

Cover Florida may be the only option for uninsured people with pre-existing conditions because insurance companies typically refuse to sell them policies. The state program still has a one-year delay before it pays for treatment of a pre-existing condition, but it will cover everything else immediately.

"Right now that option doesn't existing in today's market," Foy said. "Cover Florida allows everybody, no matter what their health conditions are, to get a policy - guaranteed."

The Legislature this year created the program through a law that also exempts Cover Florida from certain minimum benefit requirements.

Two companies, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, and United Healthcare, will offer policies in all 67 counties.

Coverage from Florida Health Care Plans will be available only in Flagler and Volusia counties, Medical Health Plan of Florida and Total Health Choice policies will be limited to Broward and Miami-Dade counties, and JMH Health Plan will just serve Miami-Dade.

Premiums will vary according to age, gender, geography and options, such as deductibles, that consumers can choose.

For example, one plan available statewide would provide a 25-year-old woman basic coverage with no annual deductible for $83.55 a month and a 25-year-old man the same coverage for $50.75.

A plan available only in Miami-Dade includes catastrophic coverage with no annual deductible at $151.85 for a 50-year-old woman, but a man would pay $172.11.

Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Holly Benson said the Legislature in a tight budget year provided no money to market the program.

Officials are hoping business organizations inform employers and their workers. Two-thirds of Florida's uninsured adults have jobs but don't get coverage through their employers, Benson said.

TO SIGN UP

You can sign up through insurance agents or on a state Web site: www.CoverFloridaHealthCare.com. The site now only provides information about the program, but it will be upgraded Jan. 5 with application links.

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