Florida’s state-based insurance exchange is gearing up for open enrollment later this year. Florida Health Choices is reaching out to professionals licensed by the state, as well as realtors, to grow its numbers.
Florida Health Choices started selling health insurance plans earlier this year. CEO Rose Naff says the program is aimed at people who make too much money to qualify for federal insurance subsidies, but need health insurance.
“We don’t offer any subsidies, and most Floridians don’t qualify for insurance subsidies. Those that do, we can help them enroll in healthcare.gov. They can be our customers and we can facilitate their enrollment and help them," she said.
The state-based exchange opened for business last year, but was only selling discounted medical plans--which are not full insurance coverage. Last September it reported an enrollment of only 40 people.
Most recently it started up an exchange for licensed state professionals, and is operating another private exchange for the Florida Realtors Association's 140,000 members, in a bid to expand its reach.
“So what they will find is that it’s just for them. It’s just for realtors," Naff said.
Florida Health Choices now has about 150 customers. Earlier this year the Florida Senate proposed using the system as a way to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. It cannot offer federal subsidies to purchase insurance due to state-issued limitations.
