Florida Health Insurance

How healthy is living
in Florida?

Florida held steady – ranking as the 34th healthiest state – according to the 2012 edition of America's Health Rankings® from the United Health Foundation.

The good news:

• Deaths from cardiovascular disease are much lower now than 10 years ago: 222.9 vs. 311.2 deaths per 100,000 people.
• Cancer deaths are relatively low at 172.9 deaths per 100,000 people.

The bad news:

• The percentage of the state's children in poverty is 22.1 percent, up from 14.6 percent five years ago.
• Florida's ranking for immunization coverage slipped from 3rd in 2011 to 18th in 2012.
• Less than 70 percent of Florida's ninth graders go on to finish high school in four years.

Florida's best and worst category rankings:

• Cardiovascular Deaths – 8th
• Cancer Deaths – 10th
• Air Pollution – 10th
• High School Graduation Rate – 44th
• Lack of Health Insurance – 46th
• Geographic Disparity – 48th

more details

• See the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Florida.
• Trust for America's Health ia another source for key Florida health quality findings. In addition, 2010's federal health reform, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), included the creation of a prevention fund to provide more than $16 billion over the next 10 years to invest in effective, proven prevention efforts, like childhood obesity prevention and tobacco cessation, and the site has a report on how it impacts Florida here.

get local health results

State snapshot too large? Get county-by-county health rankings for Florida, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Population Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin.

Does Florida have a health insurance high risk pool?

Florida Comprehensive Health Association (closed to new enrollees since 1991)
(850) 309-1200

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, Florida started offering health care insurance coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about Florida's participation, click here.

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state to state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool to keep it in the black. In the best cases, they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Read more about risk pools here.

Non-profit sources of health insurance information for Florida

• The Foundation for Health Coverage Education's mission is to provide simplified public and private health insurance eligibility information in order to help more people access coverage. Here is its guide on how to find health insurance in Florida.
• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is tracking the progress of health insurance reform in each state. Its page for Florida can be found here.
• The National Committee for Quality Assurance is a private, non-profit organization that, among other things, provides health care plan report cards for consumers. Search for Florida health insurance plan report cards.

Florida state government health insurance resources

FloridaHealthFinder.gov —  A state-run site designed to connect consumers with health care information and services, including downloadable PDF guides to health and human services and more.

The Florida Department of Financial Services —  The place for consumers to check out their insurance agent or company or to access the state consumer hotline (1-877-693-5236, is available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m) or to file a complaint.

Florida Kid Care —  State program to help children under 19 get health insurance coverage through MediKids, Healthy Kids, Children’s Medical Services or Medicaid for Children.

Florida Department of Health —  Official government Web site for department responsible for health care services for Floridans.

How did Florida officials vote on health reform?

H.R.2: Repealing the Health Care Bill

#14

Date of Vote: 1/19/2011 Status: House passed 245-189, 1 not voting

HOUSE|SENATE

1/19/2011--Passed House amended. Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by such Act. Repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act's enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by the Act's health care provisions. [more]

Yes (19)

• Sandy Adams
• Gus Bilirakis
• Vern Buchanan
• Ander Crenshaw
• Mario Diaz-Balart
• Connie Mack
• John Mica

• Jeff Miller
• Richard Nugent
• Bill Posey
• David Rivera
• Thomas Rooney
• Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
• Dennis Ross

• Steve Southerland
• Clifford Stearns
• Daniel Webster
• Allen West
• C. W. Young

Our
Pick

No (6)

• Corrine Brown
• Kathy Castor
• Ted Deutch
• Alcee Hastings
• Debbie Wasserman Schultz
• Frederica Wilson