Cover Florida Health Insurance
Did you know that nearly 1/3 of Florida adult residents do not have health insurance coverage? Earlier Gov. Charlie Crist has turned many heads this past year. He implemented a healht insurance program that he thinks will bring affordable insurance to some of the state’s 4.0 million uninsured residents.
The bare-bones health policy will cost up to $150 per month, and will have high deductibles and low limits on coverage. Critics say the program, called Cover Florida, will not help enough people.
Sterling Ivey, a spokesperson for Crist, defended the program. “The Cover Florida program is a unique way to offer health insurance for nearly 4 million uninsured Floridians … It involves facilitating private insurance companies offering policies directly to consumers in Florida.”
Yesterday the state’s Agency for Health Care Administration announced the nine companies that have submitted bid proposals to provide Cover Florida insurance to Floridians.
In July, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report critical of the Cover Florida plan. The report’s author, Judith Solomon, told WMNF that there are two reasons why she thinks Cover Florida will “fall short.”
August 20th, 2008 at 11:44 am
I don’t think Crist really knows what he is talking about. The only company to offer one of his mandated plans was BCBSFL. I don’t think anyone will purchase it. Some more failed politics.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:45 am
It is a good idea, but the problem is most Americans who can’t afford health insurance can’t afford their deductible either. So yes these people are covered if something catostrophic were to happen, but what happens to the people that are never going to meet there deductible, need testing and this and that done, they are still going to be paying quite a bit out of their own pockets they can’t afford. It is a no win situation.
August 20th, 2008 at 11:46 am
The question is, will these plans cover people in major emergencies, when they need them most, or will super high deductibles and limits on coverage render them basically not worth the money?
August 20th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Well apparently 3 or 4 insurance companies have finally decided to submit proposals for Gov. Crists plan. BCBS and Celtic are two that I know of. Other companies like Aetna decided not to take part. Should be interesting to see how the plans look.
August 20th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
I would agree with the Tampa Tribune assesment = “Unfortunately, the plan is another example of Crist nibbling at the edges of a big problem instead of addressing the challenge head-on in comprehensive fashion.” There are already a number of carriers offering bad policies (inadequate or abbreviated coverage) for too much premium. You get what you pay for and sadly sometimes not even then. Good politics constitutes solving a problem not applying PR Band-aids.
January 8th, 2009 at 5:52 pm
I have checked all the sites and none of them seem to tell anyone how to apply for this insurance.
Is there a phone # or website to apply?
March 5th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
Cuckold…
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