Insurance

FLORIDA DEPT. OF FINANCIAL SERVICES:

The Office of Insurance Regulation at the Florida Department of Financial Services regulates the insurance industry in Florida. You can call their toll-free helpline at (800) 342-2762, or to view their websites click www.fldfs.com or www.floir.com. You can also request their publication “Health Insurance – A Guide for Consumers” or view it on their website.

HEALTH FLEX:

If you live in Palm Beach or Miami-Dade County, you may be able to get health coverage through a Health Flex plan. These plans provide basic and preventive health care coverage to low-income uninsured people in Florida. At this time the plans are available only in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade Counties. For a list of the plans in these counties and contact information click http://ahca.myflorida.com/MCHQ/Managed_Health_Care/Health_Flex/index.shtml.

HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS:

These are a type of health insurance with a low monthly premium, but a very high deductible (a premium is what you pay for the insurance and a deductible is what you pay for health care services). To have a health savings account you can’t be covered by any other insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid. In this type of account you put your own money into a special tax-free, interest earning trust called a Health Savings Account, money that can then be used towards the high insurance deductible.

For more information or to find out about health savings accounts offered in Florida, call the Florida Dept. of Financial Services toll-free number (800) 342-2762, or to view their website click www.fldfs.com. Information can also be found on the U.S. Dept. of the Treasury website, click www.treasury.gov.

KIDCARE:

Florida KidCare is a health insurance program for uninsured children under age 19. For more information or to apply call the toll-free number (888)540-5437 or TTY (877) 316-8748, or to view their website click www.FloridaKidCare.org.

MEDICAID:

The Florida Medicaid program provides medical coverage for Florida residents who meet the program’s low-income eligibility requirement. This mostly includes children, pregnant women, disabled adults, and seniors. Applications for Medicaid are made through the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF). To learn more call the DCF toll-free number (866) 762-2237, or to view their website click www.myflorida.com/cf_web.

In addition, the Medically Needy program is for people with extremely high medical bills but whose income is too high to qualify for traditional Medicaid. The program mostly covers people who have experienced a very serious illness and either have no health insurance or have exhausted their benefits. For more information contact the DCF toll-free number (866) 762-2237.

MEDICARE:

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people who are age 65 or older, disabled persons, or those with end-stage kidney disease. For more information call the toll-free number (800) 633-4227 or TTY (877) 486-2048, or to view the website click www.Medicare.gov.

SHINE:

The SHINE program (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), at the Florida Dept. of Elder Affairs (DOEA), provides counseling to seniors regarding health insurance, including Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care insurance, prescription assistance programs, and other health insurance issues. The program also provides counseling to people on Medicare due to disability or end-stage kidney disease. For information call the Elder Care Helpline toll-free number at (800) 963-5337. For more information on SHINE and other DOEA programs view their websites by clicking http://ElderAffairs.state.fl.us or www.FloridaShine.org.

SMALL BUSINESS:

The Florida Department of Financial Services (the Office of Insurance Regulation) is the agency that regulates the insurance industry. They have information about plans that are available to companies with only one employee. You can contact their toll-free helpline at (800) 342-2762, or to view their websites click www.fldfs.com or www.floir.com.

TOOL KIT FOR THE UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED:

The National Women's Health Resource Center provides a list of resources and tips about getting the care you need even if you do not have insurance or if your insurance doesn't offer full coverage. To view this resource click Healthy Women.