IN THE STATES: Florida Moves Ahead on "Bare-Bones" Policy

Earlier in May we updated you on the passage of Florida's "bare bones" health policies that Republican Gov. Charlie Crist hopes will make a dent in the state's high uninsurance rate (almost one in five under age 65). Today the New York Times updates what's going on in Florida, along with a useful summary of some other state action—and inaction.

Here's a bit of key information about the new Florida policies:

His [Crist's] initiative, which both houses of the Republican-controlled Legislature approved unanimously, enables insurers to create bare-bones policies that the governor hopes will sell for no more than $150 a month. That is about 60 percent less than the average cost of a policy for a single person in Florida, according to state insurance regulators.

The policies would be available to any Floridian 19 to 64 who has been uninsured for at least six months and who is not eligible for public insurance. In a critical provision, insurers would be prohibited from rejecting applicants based on age or health status.

To make the policies affordable, Florida will allow insurers to offer policies that do not include many of the 52 services that standard policies must currently cover, like acupuncture and podiatry. The state added a mandate on Tuesday, when Mr. Crist signed a bill requiring coverage for treating autism.

The low-cost plans have to include preventive services, office visits, screenings, surgery, prescription drugs, durable medical equipment and diabetes supplies.

Some options offered by insurers have to include catastrophic and hospital coverage. But an insurance company could, for instance, choose to limit the number of days of hospitalization it will cover or place a dollar cap on reimbursing certain services.

The new law also enables parents to cover children up to age 30 on their policies, raising the age from 25.

Thirteen states have statutes allowing bare-bones policies—and Florida has tried them on a pilot basis—on the theory that some health coverage is better than none. The plans have not proven tremendously popular, according to health policy researchers.

 

 

 

 

This isn't our idea of an ideal solution to the uninsured, but we recognize the fiscal limiations on states like Florida and welcome attempts to find at least partial solutions on the state level while we try to work for comprehensive reform here in Washington.