Hospitals’ Workforce Investments Are Paying Off
12/1/2024
This article first appeared as a column in the December issue of South Florida Hospital News
By Mary Mayhew, FHA President and CEO
From now through Jan. 15, 2025, Floridians without health insurance can enroll in affordable coverage through the federal health insurance marketplace, healthcare.gov. Insured Floridians can renew their coverage on the marketplace, too. There are 15 different health plans participating in Florida’s marketplace for 2025, giving individuals and families multiple options to meet their care needs.
There is no income limit to qualify for marketplace coverage, and assistance with the cost of premiums may even be available for those who earn more than 400 percent of the federal poverty level. Cost-sharing reductions to make deductibles and other point-of-service cost-sharing obligations, such as copayments, more affordable are also available for individuals with incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level. Floridians can check eligibility requirements on healthcare.gov.
Historically, Florida has had the largest number of marketplace enrollees nationwide. More than 4 million Floridians were enrolled in marketplace coverage in 2024, a significant increase from 2023, driven in part by the end of continuous Medicaid eligibility that was in place during the COVID public health emergency. Almost all enrollees (98 percent) qualified for premium assistance to reduce their monthly premium costs, and 63 percent qualified for cost-sharing reductions. With the premium assistance, the average monthly premium was $60.
Having affordable and reliable health insurance can be the difference between successfully managing an illness and having to rely on hospital emergency departments when a condition worsens or becomes potentially life-threatening. Without health insurance, people who get sick, need medicine, suffer a traumatic accident or injury, or require medical treatment of any kind either forego care or rely on hospitals to provide that care. While health insurance does not guarantee access to care, it is an important determinant in access to timely and appropriate care. Numerous studies have shown that people without health insurance are more likely to delay health care or, tragically, forgo it altogether. The health consequences can be severe, particularly when preventable conditions, such as coronary heart disease, or chronic diseases, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, go undetected.
To be eligible for marketplace coverage, individuals must:
- Live in the U.S.
- Be a U.S. citizen or national or be lawfully present
- Not be incarcerated
- Not be enrolled in Medicare
To qualify for financial assistance, individuals additionally must not be eligible for Medicaid or Florida KidCare and not have access to affordable employer-sponsored coverage.
Marketplace navigators are available to help anyone needing assistance find the health insurance that best meets their needs and get enrolled in a marketplace plan. Individuals providing navigator assistance are regulated by the state, and they must register with the Florida Department of Financial Services. The statewide navigator organization for Florida is the University of South Florida/Florida Covering Kids & Families, and there are 10 additional contracted organizations working across the state. Help is available by calling 877-813-9115 or online at coveringflorida.org/contact.
For Florida’s hospitals, your health matters. And so does having an affordable and reliable source of health insurance and access to timely health care. The health insurance marketplace is open for business until Jan. 15. Let’s get Florida covered.