What is Florida State Health Insurance?
For those people who have been denied medical insurance due to certain medical conditions, the state of Florida offers an alternative means to get insured, as directed by the Florida Legislature.
The sunny state is one of the costliest when it comes to health insurance. Moreover, the balance of power is largely in favor of insurance companies than individuals; for instance, there is no upper limit to what an insurance company can charge you for its policy. This, along with a lack of widespread competition, has helped in creating a market monopoly that has driven policy prices upwards.
To combat this, and to provide individuals denied medical insurance along with those who cannot afford insurance from a private providers, Florida came out with its "Florida State Health Insurance" scheme. The plans provided by the state under this scheme are invariably superior in terms of cost and payment than those offered by private companies.
Who is Eligible for This Scheme?
If you're a resident of Florida for over an year, you qualify for the state of Florida health insurance. Usually, if you've been denied insurance by a company on medical grounds, you will be covered by this program.
Florida also has provisions for medicaid to families from the lower income brackets who cannot afford regular health insurance from private providers. Under this program, you are required to consult your neighborhood Division of Family Services, which will provide you with all the necessary information and the requisite application forms. The application procedure involves answering certain questions about your finances and past medical history; the percentage of people approved for insurance are always quite high.
What Coverage Does the Program Offer?
This program covers all aspects of a family's health: dental care, eye care, emergency visits, and of course, doctor visits.
Additionally, children who do not get coverage through their parents' employment are also covered through a public/private program called the Florida Kids Healthy Corporation. Applications can be submitted online through their website at HealthyKids.org.
Who Else is Covered?
The Florida state health insurance program also covers "federally eligible individuals" - chiefly, those individuals who've accrued a total of 18 months of creditable coverage and have not had more than a 90 day gap between coverage - as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA). To check whether you qualify as a federally eligible individual, please consult the HIPPA website. This scheme is specifically designed for individuals who've lost their employment and thus, are without coverage.
