If you are resident of the sunshine state and are looking for affordable Florida state health insurance coverage, you are fortunate to have options available as part of the Cover Florida health care access program. This program was passed by the state legislature in 2008 to provide residents access to quality insurance coverage at affordable rates. For those eligible, the insurance carriers must provide coverage regardless of any pre-existing conditions.
Policies that fall under the jurisdiction of this program are available to all state residents between the ages of 19 and 64 who have been without health insurance for at least six months or those who have been recently unemployed. These policies are intended for individuals who are not eligible for any other types of public insurance, such as Medicare and Medicaid. Other scenarios that would allow a resident access to this type of Florida state health insurance are the loss of COBRA benefits and the death of a spouse or divorce from a spouse who had provided health insurance benefits through his or her employer.
This Florida state health insurance program uses six different insurance providers. There are two insurance companies that are able to offer plans in every county of the state and the other four offer plans in a limited number of counties. Each licensed insurance company had to provide policies and options that met with the rigorous standards of the state. Between the six providers, there are currently 27 unique benefit plans. Each of the six carriers is required to have plans with the two basic options of having coverage with or without catastrophic and hospital benefits. Beyond that option, the plans offered have numerous benefits that include, but are not limited to prescription coverage, preventative doctorýs visits, emergency care and health screenings.
One of the unique benefits of enrolling in a plan under this type of Florida state health insurance is the portability of the policy. Once a resident has obtained a policy under the Cover Florida program, the policy can move with the resident when switching employers. The new employer may choose to help in paying for the policy by either directly paying a portion or through the use of pre-tax payroll deductions. To obtain a policy under the Cover Florida program, prospective applicants should seek out one of the approved insurance carriers in their particular county. A list of eligible insurance providers is available online at the official state website.