Elliot Glass Coral Springs Insurance

Compare the Best Health and Dental Insurance Plans in Florida

2025-10-20

If you’re looking to compare the best health and dental insurance plans in Florida, you’re probably wondering which option will truly safeguard your health (and wallet). Whether you need basic coverage or something more comprehensive, Florida’s insurance marketplace is full of choices. In this post, you’ll explore the key plan types, discover how dental coverage fits in, and learn a few cost-saving tricks along the way.

The goal is to help you feel confident about choosing coverage that meets your needs. Once you understand the main differences between plans like HMOs, PPOs, EPOs, and POS plans, you’ll see how each option can fit within your budget. Let’s dig in and figure out which health and dental insurance plan is best for you.

Explore health coverage

In Florida, you’ve got several ways to sign up for a health plan. Some people buy through the Health Insurance Marketplace, while others might get coverage through an employer or professional group.

Regardless, it helps to know the basics about:

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): Requires you to choose an in-network primary care doctor, and you get referrals for specialists as needed. These plans often have lower premiums, but you have less flexibility in choosing providers.
PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): Offers a larger provider network, no need for a primary care doctor or specialist referrals, and you can see out-of-network doctors at a higher cost.
EPO (Exclusive Provider Organization): Combines elements of HMO and PPO plans. You typically won’t need a referral for specialists, but you’ll see higher out-of-pocket costs if you go out of the network.
POS (Point of Service): Works similarly to an HMO because you’ll have a primary care doctor for referrals. However, you can also visit out-of-network specialists for a higher fee.

Compare dental coverage

Dental care is often separate from standard health insurance, but many full coverage health plans may offer at least some dental benefits.

If you want more comprehensive dental coverage, check out:

DPPO (Dental Preferred Provider Organization): Similar to a medical PPO, you have a network with discounted rates, but you can also go out-of-network for a higher fee.
DHMO (Dental Health Maintenance Organization): More restrictive network, often no annual limits, and usually no waiting periods. Your out-of-pocket costs can be lower, but you must see in-network providers.
DEPO (Dental Exclusive Provider Organization) and DPOS (Dental Point of Service): These are similar to DHMO and DPPO, respectively, but exact coverage details vary between carriers.

When reviewing dental plans, pay particular attention to whether they cover major procedures like implants. Some plans only cover a percentage of implant costs or require waiting periods. That’s why it’s essential to read the fine print.

Price factors you should know

Plan costs in Florida vary based on services offered, coverage levels, and whether you qualify for any cost-saving programs. You’ll typically pay:

Monthly premium: The amount you pay to maintain coverage.
Deductible: The amount you pay first before insurance benefits kick in.
Copay or coinsurance: Your share of the cost whenever you get a service, after meeting your deductible.
Out-of-pocket maximum: The cap on how much you’ll pay for covered services in a policy period.

If you’re primarily concerned with budget, you might lean toward an HMO or DHMO. If freedom of choice matters more, a PPO or DPPO may be worth the extra expense. For temporary coverage (like between jobs), you can explore a short-term health plan, although benefits can be more limited.

Pinpoint your perfect plan

Finding the right plan comes down to your priorities:

Do you want a low monthly cost, or do you prefer high flexibility when picking providers?
Are you more likely to need preventive care, or do you anticipate major procedures, like implants or surgical treatments?
Is it important to see a broad range of specialists without referrals?

If you have a family, consider a plan that covers everyone under one policy with robust preventive care. Full coverage plans often include routine checkups, emergency procedures, and sometimes orthodontics for kids.

Be sure to check any waiting periods for major procedures, which can range from a few months to a year.

Conclusion

When you compare the best health and dental insurance plans in Florida, it pays to look carefully at provider networks, coverage limits, and out-of-pocket costs. You’ll want a plan that balances affordability with access to the care you need.

If you’d like personalized advice on choosing your health or dental insurance plan, contact Elliot Glass Coral Springs Insurance today. We can help you tailor coverage for you and your family’s unique needs. You can get in touch with us at our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

How are HMOs different from PPOs?

With an HMO, you generally must choose a primary care doctor in-network, while a PPO offers more freedom to see providers without referrals, including some coverage for out-of-network doctors.

Does full coverage dental insurance pay for everything?

“Full coverage” doesn’t mean the plan will cover 100% of costs. Rather, it indicates coverage for a wide range of preventive, basic, and major services. You may still have copays or coinsurance.

Which dental plans include implant coverage?

Implant coverage isn’t standard in many dental plans. When it is offered, plans typically pay a portion of the procedure’s cost, and there may be waiting periods or annual limits.

What if I only need coverage for a short time?

Short-term health plans can bridge gaps between jobs or other transitions. These plans typically last 30 to 90 days, but they may come with limited benefits compared to standard Marketplace plans.

Top Benefits of Having Family Health Insurance in Florida

2025-10-20

If you’ve been wondering about the top benefits of having family health insurance in Florida, you’re not alone.

A family plan can help you safeguard your loved ones from unexpected medical bills and ensure everyone receives essential care, from routine checkups to urgent treatments. This peace of mind can be priceless, especially when you want predictable costs for doctor’s visits or hospital stays.

Plus, many family health insurance plans in Florida also include benefits like preventive care and coverage for children’s wellness exams, so you can focus on keeping everyone healthy rather than watching every penny.

You’ll also have access to specialized or emergency treatments without facing full out-of-pocket expenses. Whether it’s a sudden injury on the weekend or that nagging health concern you’ve been putting off, having your entire household insured can make an unplanned doctor’s visit a lot less stressful.

Take advantage of cost savings

Many families qualify for significant financial help through the Health Insurance Marketplace in Florida.

According to the official Health Insurance Marketplace, you could be eligible for tax credits that lower your monthly premiums, or cost-sharing reductions that reduce things like deductibles and copays.

If you meet certain income requirements, Florida’s expanded Medicaid programs may also be an option for you or your children.

These programs can often provide free or low-cost coverage. Plus, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a budget-friendly way to ensure coverage for kids whose family income is too high to qualify for Medicaid, but still low enough to make private plans a challenge.

Stay prepared for the unexpected

No one can predict accidents or health surprises, but you can prepare for them. A family health insurance plan can ease the financial burden of unexpected hospital visits, surgeries, or costly prescriptions.

If your child breaks a bone on the playground or you need a specialist’s opinion, having insurance can shield you from hefty medical bills. You also avoid having to postpone important treatments, which can be risky in the long run.

Beyond emergency care, comprehensive plans often include preventive services like annual physicals or immunizations at no extra cost. By staying on top of preventive exams, you spot potential health concerns early, which can mean simpler treatments and lower costs later.

Choose the right coverage now

Florida's annual Open Enrollment runs from November 1 to January 15. If you experience qualifying life events, you could enroll or change plans any time of the year. Think about your family’s typical health needs, preferred doctors, and monthly budget to pick the plan type that makes sense for you.

If you’re still unsure which plan offers the best combination of savings and coverage, you’re not alone. That’s exactly where personalized guidance helps. You can compare multiple insurers, look at different deductibles, and figure out if an HDHP or a more traditional plan fits your family’s goals.

Conclusion

You and your loved ones deserve peace of mind, and a well-chosen family health insurance plan can make that happen.

From covering everyday checkups to shielding you from unexpected medical bills, it’s a smart way to protect both your health and your finances.

If you’re ready to explore options tailored to your family’s needs, reach out to Elliot Glass Coral Springs Insurance for a personalized consultation. Discover how we can help you confidently choose the right coverage in Florida.

FAQs

How can I tell if my family qualifies for premium tax credits?

You’ll estimate your household income and family size when enrolling through the Health Insurance Marketplace. If your income falls within specific guidelines, you may qualify for lower premiums.

Do I need a referral for a specialist with all Florida health plans?

Not necessarily. HMO and some POS plans usually require referrals, but PPOs and EPOs typically let you see specialists without one.

Are short-term plans a good fit for my family?

Short-term plans can be useful if you’re between jobs or outside Open Enrollment. However, they don’t offer the same level of coverage as most Marketplace plans, so weigh your options carefully.

What if I have a High-Deductible Health Plan?

An HDHP usually has lower monthly premiums but higher deductibles. You can open a Health Savings Account (HSA) to set aside pre-tax funds for medical costs, and any unused amount can roll over year to year.

How do I enroll outside of Open Enrollment?

You may enroll if you have a qualifying life event, such as moving, getting married, or having a baby. This triggers a Special Enrollment Period, allowing you to sign up or change your plan.

How to pick a health insurance plan

2023-02-20

3 things to know before you pick a health insurance plan

How to Choose a Plan in
the Health Insurance
Marketplace^{^®}

Choosing a health insurance plan can be complicated. Knowing just a few things before you compare plans can make it simpler.

The 4 “metal” categories: There are 4 categories of health insurance plans: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. These categories show how you and your plan share costs. Plan categories have nothing to do with quality of care.
Your total costs for health care: You pay a monthly bill to your insurance company (a "premium"), even if you don’t use medical services that month. You pay out-of-pocket costs, including a
deductible
, when you get care. It’s important to think about both kinds of costs when shopping for a plan.
Plan and network types—
HMO
,
PPO
,
POS
, and
EPO
: Some plan types allow you to use almost any doctor or health care facility. Others limit your choices or charge you more if you use providers outside their network.

How Much Does an ER Visit Cost Without Insurance In 2022

2023-01-30

Any accident may occur, and people may feel severe health problems. There is the loudness of the ambulance from here and there. Then they are taken to the emergency room (ER) for treatment. Most people may opt for an emergency room as a better place to seek immediate recovery from any health problem. An ER visit is not just for accidental injury but for feeling severe health complications anyhow. In the same way, ER provides emergency services that are available there. There are skilled and dedicated doctors, nurses, and modern technology to make sure severe illnesses of the people can be prevented.

So the cost factor is one of the significant issues as ER visits are much higher than any other medical service. So it is important to know about such ER visits and also one should know how much does an ER visit costs without insurance in 2022. Here we are going to discuss a lot of issues on this topic to make sure you can know how ER visit works, the cost of an ER visit, and how you can limit the cost of an ER visit without insurance.

Emergency Department

When people get sick and ill, they are found to take treatment either at home or in the hospital. But the severity of the sickness and illness may be so high. When it goes high and people stay at home, there is the possibility of facing any danger in life. Then they might seek emergency hospitalization.

Emergency Department or Emergency room (ER in brief) is a department of the hospital and medical center where there is medical treatment on an emergency basis. Surely people may have different conditions of illness. It is just from low to severe. When there are life-risking factors and the family members think it is very crucial, they may think of the emergency department or emergency room. In this case, the patients and the people on behalf of the patients don’t have to take prior appointments. In most cases, people may be unsure about medical needs and don’t wait for a doctor’s appointment. These includes

Broken bones
Chest pain
Head and Neck injury
Serious burns
Stroke Symptoms
Uncontrolled vomiting
Vomiting with blood

How ER Visit Works

Surely emergency room is one of the most equipped and advanced rooms where people go for emergency treatment. In most cases, people may have a serious condition of heart, chest pain, head and neck injury, or serious burn. In this case, they don’t have any way to go for first aid treatment but feel the need to visit an emergency room. They rush on foot but it is common to see the loudness of the ambulance on the road as they are going to the emergency room.

Then the department or emergency room ensures initial treatment even it is a broad spectrum of illness and injuries as it is unplanned and unsure. When it comes to life-threatening, they go to immediate action in consultation with the higher consultants. But if it is seen that the patients are going to be well after taking initial treatment from the emergency room, they are not admitted to the hospital.

This type of department or room is open for 24 hours in hospitals and medical centers. There is fully equipped staff in the emergency room and they provide treatment according to the condition of the patients. But it may be seen that there is a long time waiting due to the number of emergency cases.

Now it comes to the cost and expense of the emergency room. Surely, many people may be surprised to see the higher cost of visiting an emergency room even if it is a minor case. The emergency room may be costly due to several reasons such as emergency standby doctors, higher quality of using medical supplies such as aspirin, bandages and these are provided there. There is also part of insurance and people may seek to reduce the cost by the part of the law and the cost may be so higher for the people who don’t have insurance.

Why Choose Emergency Room vs Urgent Care

When it comes to emergency treatment and medication, people seek immediate medical attention in the hospital. In this case, the emergency room is the most common issue and place to choose from. But there is another option which is urgent care. It is just about making a decision about which one can fit the best for the people who are in a bad situation.

There are still a lot of issues to know about emergency rooms and urgent care. Urgent care is a center that ensures primary care physician and emergency room services. When you need no appointment for the emergency room, you don’t need it in this care. But there is no major difference between emergency care and urgent care. Urgent care may not be available for 24 hours and some urgent care center closes at 9.00 pm or later. But the emergency care is open 24 hours and 365 days a year.

The most important issue to consider is that you need to visit the emergency room when you have life-threatening conditions like injuries and symptoms. On the other hand, it is only possible to get services when there is a non-life-threatening situation. Under urgent care, one may opt for minor cuts, back pain, minor burns, and so on. More importantly, the cost at urgent care center is less compared to an emergency room visit.

What Are The Cost Factors of ER

Surely the cost of the emergency room is much more and people may see it as horrific after getting emergency care. But it is important to distinguish between the emergency room and a normal hospital. Surely the services at the emergency room may not be possible to get at a normal hospital. On the other hand, people want to get an immediate solution to their illness and symptoms. So many people don’t even think of the cost factor. But it is also important to know why the cost of ER goes up.

The cost of an ambulance transportation

When people have a severe health problem, they call an ambulance equipped with life-saving medical equipment. It is common to see such an ambulance rushing to the patient’s home and getting them in the emergency room. For this, the transportation of the patient adds up more cost.

Emergency room costs

An emergency room is equipped with tools and instruments to make sure you can treat trauma. There are MRIs and Surgeries and high-quality supplies which are costly to treat the emergency patient for quick recovery. If you face an accident and you get trauma, it is possible to get to the emergency room, and it adds up the cost significantly. It is also important to note that the emergency room is open for 24 hours with trained and skilled staff, making the costs so high. More importantly, the emergency room needs to have uninterrupted electricity, water, food, and supplies along with medical care.

How Much Does An ER Visit Cost Without Insurance In 2022

When people get the bills after taking treatment from the emergency room, they fall from the sky. But it is important to know these costs as before so that there is a plan to reduce the cost. The ER cost may be higher compared to regular hospital bills. It is also important to note that the cost of the treatment may go higher than the fixed rate for the room when the treatment goes extensive. It can’t be said that there is a fixed cost of the emergency room but this visit may cost less than $2200. But there are different types of costs according to the type of treatment. But these costs come without insurance plans.

Chest pain may cost by $1000
Broken Bones with surgery may cost by $10000
Stitches for an accident may cost by $500
There are also some costs of the common conditions where these are treated in the ER visit and these includes
Acute Bronchitis may cost by $814
Sore Throat may cost $620
Low back pain may cost by $751
Attention to dressing or removal of sutures may cost $343

It is also important to note that this cost is not fixed for all medical centers and hospitals. There may be changes from low to higher and higher to low in different hospitals. Additionally, the cost may also be different in different states.

Recommended Post:

Average ER Visit Cost By State

The cost of an ER visit is a big issue for people who are low-income and it is important to know such cost before. Even if there is no insurance coverage, the cost goes higher and it may be sky-high for the people. This cost is also not static due to more advanced forms of treatment in the emergency room. According to a study and research, the ER cost in 2019 was found on average by $1220 without insurance. But this cost has gone up by $2200 and it may even be more by reaching $20,000 for extensive and critical care.

The cost of ER visits without insurance discussed above is just average and this can vary according to different states. So we are going to discuss the average cost of all states without insurance.

Florida: The average cost of ER visit comes by $3102 without insurance coverage.
New Jersey: The average cost of ER without insurance in this state is $3087.
California: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $2960.
Colorado: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $2886.
Nevada: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $2583.
Texas: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $2318.
Arizona: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $2283.
Idaho: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $2159.
Hawaii: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $2076.
Alaska: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $2070.
Virginia: The average cost of ER without insurance in this state is $1941.
Tennessee: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1883.
Washington D.C: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1879.
Nebraska: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1844.
Washington: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1841.
Illinois: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1818.
New Hampshire: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1787.
South Carolina: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1758.
Rhode Island: The average cost of ER without insurance in this state is $1750.
Kentucky: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1740.
Missouri: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1717.
New York: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1668.
Pennsylvania: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1645.
South Dakota: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1641.
Indiana: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1618.
Delaware: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1596.
Georgia: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1596.
North Carolina: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1589.
Mississippi: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1583.
New Mexico: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1574.
Alabama: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1496.
Wisconsin: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1496.
Connecticut: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1493.
Oklahoma: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1466.
Utah: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1464.
Minnesota: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1462.
Oregon: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1437.
Ohio: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1435.
Wyoming: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1411.
Vermont: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1386.
Iowa: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1377.
Arkansas: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1304.
Kansas: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1294.
Michigan: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1273.
North Dakota: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1245.
Massachusetts: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1200.
Louisiana: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1184.
Montana: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1138.
West Virginia: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $1127.
Maine: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $952.
Maryland: The average cost of ER visit without insurance in this state is $623.

What Happens If Insurance Coverage

ER visits may cost from $150 to $3000 in different situations and locations. Surely it is too much expensive for so many people. When you are visiting this ER, there is still available treatment for the patient. It is important to make sure this care is not cheap. So insurance is part of a law to make ER visits affordable. There may be health insurance plans with a lower monthly premium that you may go. This can help you get a cap of around $250 on emergency room expenses. In the insurance policy, there may be guidelines on coverage in terms of an ER visit. But it generally covers the most basic ER visits. More importantly, you should check your coverage where it is available based on in-Networks ERs.

How is the Cost Determined in the ER Visit by Level?

The illness, injuries, and symptoms may have different stages and this stage determines the emergency treatment process in the ER room. This stage is medically known as level and there are generally five levels from 1 to 5. This is important to know these levels for everyone who even didn’t go to the emergency room. The level is also explained as the emergency severity index scale or intensity of the illness of the people.

Level 1: Level 1 means life-threatening issues and it may be more extensive and critical treatment and care by the emergency room. The typical cost of such event may stand by $1450.
Level 2: Level 2 is not just like Level 1 but it is a severe problem that seeks urgent medical attention and evaluation. This cost may come by $870 on average.
Level 3: level 3 is not just about level 2 in which risk is a little bit low but treatment may be a good option in this case. Additionally, there is a chance of developing risk when treatment is not taken. The typical cost of such a level is $650.
Level 4: Level 4 is not just about Level 3 but people with illness in this level have less chance of death. But this type of level can’t be ignored for better health. The cost maybe $400.
Level 5: People have very limited and minor problems and the average cost of this illness may be $150.

How Can I Lower The Cost Of ER Visits

As said, ER cost is higher and it has legit ways to be high. Some low-income people may find it at a reduced rate. For there are some ways that can work to limit the higher cost of the ER visit. This includes

1. Discuss with hospital charitable programs

Surely every hospital is not for money-making and they also provide treatment for the poor people even it is higher. These hospitals do have ER but also have CSR policies. They have also a social responsibility to provide low-cost health care for low-income people. For this, you may discuss such charitable programs and get significant discounts on your bills.

2. See primary care physician

When some get injured and server symptoms, they should not opt for ER for the first time. They may seek primary care physicians that can be cheap and affordable in case it is not life-threatening issues. In this case, urgent care may be a good option indeed.

3. Try Telemedicine

Now that Telemedicine is one of the good ways to get treatment. It is a system to get treatment at home over the phone. The doctors over there are skilled and experts to hear your problem and provide solutions to your physical problem.

4. Seek free clinic

Surely there are so many free clinics and a low-cost hospital where there is also an emergency room. These free clinics charge less for low-income people. Everyone should know about these free clinics and hospitals before to make sure they can go there in their emergencies.

5. Do it right now

When we are healthy, we don’t think of our health for a single moment. But it is not right indeed. A smile health problem may be severe and one may go through a bad situation when they see the sky-high bill amount. For this, there are so many government programs like Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP that they can enroll in and get affordable health care.

6. Be prepared

When there is a serious moment, we don’t remember anything close to us that is low cost and cheap. Surely you may identify your root health problem and decide what to do. In case there is a serious health problem, you can go to an ER visit. If it is minor problem, you can go to urgent care at a lower cost. On the other hand, you should know before where there are low-cost offers and programs for ER visits near your location. This can be a good deal indeed to go for saving your money as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

So there are some questions to answer and most people seek these answers as information. So we have covered such answers to make sure you can know more.

What happens in ER visit?

An ER visit is an emergency visit that is meant as a serious health problem. When you go to an ER visit, A triage nurse normally who is the staff there will assess the condition. You may need to wait there according to their examination process and they may tell you to go to an exam room. Some doctors will review your test results and provide instructions for the next steps.

What is a Level 4 ER visit?

Level 4 is the parameter to assess the condition of the health problem. Surely there are different types of injuries and symptoms of the health. These are categorized into different levels. So Level 4 is a type of problem that explains it is so severe. In this case, urgent evaluation is mandatory to treat the complication.

How much does an ER visit cost in Florida?

Florida is one of the most expensive states in the United States of America. In the same way, ER visit cost in Florida is a little bit high. But it is found that moderate to severe ER patients have to count a bill of on average $3102. This can be lower or higher according to a different location in Florida.

Final Verdict

Health is wealth and we need to ensure it. But there is nothing to do as an accident may occur in the blink of our eyes. Then people with injury or other health symptoms may need to go to an ER visit. There are so many hospitals and clinics in every location that provide emergency care in the Emergency room. You need to study and research this emergency room and visit the cost according to your location. Surely this can be helpful when you know much before facing a bad situation.

IMPORTANT information to get your affairs in order??

2023-01-11

Make sure all bank accounts have direct beneficiaries. The beneficiary need only go to the bank with your death certificate and an ID of their own.

TOD = Transfer On Death deed if you own a home. Completing this document and filing it with your county saves your heirs THOUSANDS. This document allows you to transfer ownership of your home to your designee. All they need to do is take their ID and your death certificate to the county building and the deed is signed over. Doing this will avoid the home having to go through probate.

Living Will: Allows one to put in writing exactly what you want done in the event you cannot speak for yourself when it comes to healthcare decisions as well as other final decisions.

Durable Power of Attorney: Allows one to designate a person to make legal decisions if you are no longer competent to do so.

Power of Attorney for Healthcare: This document allows one to designate someone to make healthcare decisions for them.

Last Will and Testament: Designates to whom personal belongings will go to.

Funeral Planning Declaration: Allows one to say exactly one’s wishes as far as disposition of the body and the services.

If the above documents are done, you can AVOID probate.

If all the above is not done, you have to open an estate account at the bank. All money that doesn’t have direct beneficiaries goes into this account. You have to have an attorney to open the estate account. The attorney also has to publicize your passing in the newspaper or post publication at the county courthouse, to allow anyone to make a claim on your property. - It’s a complete PAIN.

Make a list of all banks and account numbers, all investment institutions with account numbers, lists of credit cards, utility accounts, etc. Leave clear instructions as to how and when these things are paid.

Make sure heirs know where life insurance policies are located.

Make 100% sure SOMEONE knows your Apple ID, bank ID account logins and passwords!

Make sure you have titles for all vehicles, campers, etc!

Set up a TRUST for intended beneficiaries, especially those that are too young, and appoint a trustee of said trust.

MOST IMPORTANTLY!!!! - Talk with those closest to you and make all your wishes KNOWN. Talk to those whom you’ve designated, as well as those close to you whom you did not designate. - Do this to explain why your decisions were made and to avoid any lingering questions or hurt feelings.

Hope this helps! Hope this lights a spark to encourage all your friends and family to take care of these things to make it easier for those we all leave behind!

My hope is that the above list at least helps you start an important conversation with your loved ones...

GET YOUR FREE WILL BY CLICKING THE BUTTON BELOW

Use Code: 072PN Email address: elliot@elliotglassinsurance.com

GET YOUR FREE WILL

Florida Blue Health Insurance from Elliot Glass Coral Springs Insurance

2023-01-03

Blue Cross Blue Shield Products – Blue Cross and Blue Shield products are among the most innovative and cost effective available. We have the full complement of Blue Cross Blue Shield products to meet your needs. As an independent agent, we represent our clients and provide you with guidance and advice as to the most cost-effective coverage for your specific needs and budget.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Health insurance you buy on your own is called individual coverage. It could be right for you if you are:

Self-employed, a small-business owner or have a home-based business
In between jobs for more than three months
Not covered through work or you're unable to get affordable coverage through your employer
No longer covered by a parent's health care plan

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR PERSONALIZED UNDER 65 HEALTH INSURANCE QUOTE!

CLICK HERE FOR INFO

WHAT IS IT?

A contract that requires a health insurer to pay some or all of your healthcare costs in exchange for a premium. A health insurance contract may also be called a “policy” or “plan.”

Health insurer - A company that sells health insurance plans/policies.
Benefits - The healthcare costs (e.g., medical services, treatments and supplies) covered by your health insurance policy.
Premium - The dollar amount you pay to an insurance company for the benefits and coverage of an insurance policy. This is usually paid monthly, and most experts advise that it be paid through a MBD (Monthly Bank Draft) to make sure that coverage does not lapse.
Policy - The health insurance coverage purchased by an individual and provided by a carrier. Also referred to as a plan.

In other words, you buy a health insurance plan from a health insurance company. That plan is a contract that requires the insurer to pay a certain amount for certain types healthcare expenses you incur.

WHY SHOULD I BUY IT?

Like auto insurance, health insurance is a service you pay for but hope you will never need. It's there for the unpredictable, unexpected and fundamentally uncontrollable problems that come up in people's lives.

Most consumers want and value health insurance, but they are confused about the current laws, how health insurance works and what options are available to them. This is why most experts recommend using a licensed insurance agent to assist in the process.

Consider these consequences of not being covered by health insurance.

You risk the chance of financial ruin. Unpaid medical bills are the number one cause of bankruptcies in the United States.
You severely limit your access to high quality health care providers.
You risk your insurability. In other words, if your health changes in the future you may not be able to obtain health insurance on your own.

Medicare Information from Elliot Glass Coral Springs Insurance

2022-12-13

MEDICARE 2022 INFORMATION

Medicare

Medicare-2022_Medicare-and-You

MEDICARE 2023 INFORMATION

2023 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums

2023 Florita Medicare Basics Guide

THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT LOWERS HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS

Through the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden is delivering on his promise to lower prescription drug costs, make health insurance more affordable, and make the economy work for working families. This law means millions of Americans across all 50 states, the United States territories, and the District of Columbia will save money from meaningful benefits.

What do you need to know about health care in Florida?

2022-12-08

Healthcare policy in Florida involves the creation and implementation of laws, rules, and regulations for managing the state's healthcare system. The healthcare system consists of services provided by medical professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental and physical illness and injury. The system also encompasses a wide range of related sectors, such as insurance, pharmaceuticals and health information technology.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the 50 state legislatures collectively "make thousands of health policy decisions each year," not including the decisions made by local governments, which often oversee hospitals, and private bodies, such as insurers. These decisions can include budget appropriations, requirements for doctors obtaining their licenses, which services are covered by insurance, how personal health information is managed, and which immunizations children must receive, among many others.^[1]

Healthcare policy affects not only the cost citizens must pay for care, but also their access to care and the quality of care received, which can influence their overall health. A top concern for policymakers is the rising cost of healthcare, which has placed an increasing strain on the disposable income of consumers as well as on state budgets. Other issues in healthcare policy include state Medicaid expansion, health information technology and privacy, uninsured and underinsured portions of the population, a shortage of primary care physicians, and mental healthcare access and coverage.

Background

See also: History of healthcare policy in the United States

In the early years of the United States, healthcare was provided by wives and mothers in the home, with occasional home visits by doctors. Medical colleges were established starting in the late 1700s, providing formal scientific training and licensing to physicians. The role of doctors became more authoritative and pronounced with further advancements in science and the growth of cities, which presented health hazards due to overcrowding, poor sanitation and attendant disease.^[2]^[3]^[4]

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the first medical college in the United States

In 1846 a group of physicians formed the American Medical Association (AMA) with the early mission of (and achievement of) state regulation of pharmaceuticals. As medicine grew more professionalized, private health insurance pools were established, and employers and unions began offering some medical benefits to workers. The model of payment known as "fee-for-service," in which doctors are paid for each treatment, test and office visit, emerged.^[2]

Though once housing primarily poor, terminally ill patients, hospitals evolved to more closely resemble the institutions they are today. This was in part due to the development of antiseptics—allowing for more sanitary treatment conditions—and better education of physicians. It was also partly due to their role in the development of employer-sponsored insurance by offering plans for public school teachers, which allowed them to go to hospitals for more routine treatments. The employer-sponsored insurance model spread during World War II, when government wage controls prompted employers to offer health benefits rather than higher salaries in order to attract workers. This model grew more popular after the war when payments by employers toward employee health insurance were made tax-exempt.^[2]^[5]^[6]

Throughout the mid-20th century, Congress established federal agencies dedicated to healthcare policy, including the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services. The federal government also enacted a number of pieces of healthcare legislation during the second half of the century:

Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Social Security Amendments of 1965, which established Medicare and Medicaid
Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973, which promoted prepaid group practice service plans known as health maintenance organizations (HMOs) as an alternative to fee-for-service plans
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, which allowed employees to continue healthcare coverage if they would otherwise lose it (due to job loss, medical leave, etc.)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which limited the extent to which insurance companies could exclude people with preexisting conditions
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, known as Obamacare, which established health insurance exchanges and required all citizens to obtain health insurance

Though there have been steady calls for a national health insurance program since the early 1900s, no such measure has been adopted in the United States.^[2]

Today, the healthcare industry is an immense part of the nation's economy. Healthcare spending amounts to about one-sixth of the nation's gross domestic product and health expenditures account for about one-fourth to one-third of state budgets. Healthcare regulation and policy is complex, with nearly "every aspect of the field ... overseen by one regulatory body or another, and sometimes by several." Such regulations are enforced by federal, state and local governments, and even private organizations. The 2010 passage of Obamacare introduced experimentation and uncertainty into the industry, which will be watched closely over the next several years to gauge the lasting effects of its policies.^[1]^[7]^[8]^[9]

General information

Terms and definitions
Hover over each term to display a definition.
Fee-for-service
Gross domestic product
Gross state product
Managed care
Medical durables
Medical nondurables
National health insurance
Premium
Scheduled drugs

The tables below compare demographic and economic statistics for Florida and surrounding states, since both factors significantly impact healthcare and healthcare policy. Also provided is general information on the insurance coverage of individuals in each state.

Demographics

See also: State population demographics by age and gender

A major concern for the healthcare industry is the shifting demographic makeup of the nation and its states. Different groups of people—such as men and women, for example—tend to use different health services.In particular, persons aged 65 and older comprise an increasing share of the total population, with that share expected to reach 20.2 percent by 2050. This trend has had a part in the increase in demand for healthcare services and the related increase in costs. It will also influence the federal budget, as more and more seniors join Medicare.^[10]

Compared to its neighboring states, Florida had the lowest percentage of individuals 18 years of age and younger. It also had the largest percentage of its population that was age 65 and over.^[11]^[12]^[13]

[hide]Age and gender demographics, 2013
State	Total residents	Children 0-18	Adults 19-64	65+	Male	Female
Florida	19,379,400	22%	61%	17%	48%	52%
Alabama	4,755,200	25%	60%	15%	48%	52%
Georgia	9,787,100	27%	60%	13%	48%	52%
Mississippi	2,920,000	27%	60%	13%	48%	52%
United States	313,395,400	25%	61%	14%	49%	51%
Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

Economic indicators

See also: Economic indicators by state

Florida's GDP increased by 2.7 percent in 2014. Click the image to view a larger version.

Broadly defined, a healthy economy is typically one that has a "stable and strong rate of economic growth" (gross state product, in this case) and low unemployment, among many other factors. The economic health of a state can significantly affect its healthcare costs, insurance coverage, access to care, and citizens' physical and mental health. For instance, during economic downturns, employers may reduce insurance coverage for employees, while those who are laid off may lose coverage altogether. Individuals also tend to spend less on non-urgent care or postpone visits to the doctor when times are hard. These changes in turn may affect the decisions made by policymakers as they react to shifts in the industry. Additionally, a person's socioeconomic status has profound effects on their access to care and the quality of care received.^[14]^[15]^[16]

In 2013, compared to its neighboring state, Florida had the largest percentage of residents that earned incomes of at least 400 percent above the federal poverty level. Between 2011 and 2013, the state's median annual household income was $47,106, just below that in Georgia. Florida's unemployment rate in September 2014 was lowest among its neighboring states at 6.1 percent.^[17]^[18]^[19]^[20]

Note: Gross state product (GSP) on its own is not necessarily an indicator of economic health; GSP may also be influenced by state population size. Many factors must be looked at together to assess state economic health.

[hide]Various economic indicators by state
State	Distribution of population by FPL^* (2013)				Median annual income^†	Unemployment rate		Total GSP (2013)^‡
State	Under 100%	100-199%	200-399%	400%+	Median annual income^†	Sept. 2013	Sept. 2014	Total GSP (2013)^‡
Florida	15%	20%	32%	32%	$47,106	6.9%	6.1%	$800,492
Alabama	17%	22%	33%	28%	$43,330	6.4%	6.6%	$193,566
Georgia	16%	21%	32%	31%	$47,753	8%	7.9%	$454,532
Mississippi	23%	20%	29%	28%	$40,338	8.4%	7.7%	$105,163
United States	15%	19%	30%	36%	$52,047	7.2%	5.9%	$16,701,415
^* Federal Poverty Level. "The U.S. Census Bureau's poverty threshold for a family with two adults and one child was $18,751 in 2013. This is the official measurement of poverty used by the Federal Government." ^† Median annual household income, 2011-2013. ^‡ In millions of current dollars. "Gross State Product is a measurement of a state's output; it is the sum of value added from all industries in the state." Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

Insurance coverage

See also: Health insurance coverage by source

In general, employers have been the dominant source of health insurance for individuals since the late 1940s and 1950s. This can be at least partially attributed to the income tax exemption granted to employers for payments made toward health insurance for employees. The second major sources of health insurance are the state and federal governments, which jointly provide Medicaid for low-income individuals while the federal government sponsors Medicare for the elderly and disabled.^[21]

In 2013, about 41 percent of residents in Florida were insured through their employers, the smallest percentage among its neighboring states. Florida also had the greatest percentage of uninsured individuals at 19 percent. This was also greater than the national average.^[22]

[hide]Health insurance coverage by source, 2013
State	Employer	Other private	Medicaid	Medicare	Other public	Uninsured
Florida	41%	5%	14%	17%	3%	19%
Alabama	43%	5%	17%	18%	N/A	16%
Georgia	47%	6%	13%	14%	4%	16%
Mississippi	43%	5%	19%	17%	3%	14%
United States	48%	6%	16%	15%	2%	13%
Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

The 1980s saw a peak in the percentage of people who were receiving health coverage through their employers, with a continuous decline in the rate thereafter. A study by researchers at the University of Minnesota’s State Health Access Data Assistance Center, which was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, found that despite the tax exemption, fewer employers are choosing to offer health coverage to their employees, and when it is offered, fewer employees are enrolling.^[21]^[23]

Employer-sponsored insurance dropped by 12.4 percentage points in Florida from 2000 to 2012. Meanwhile, Florida's uninsured rate increased by 5.2 percentage points, the largest increase among its neighboring states. Click 'show' on the table below to view more comparisons.^[24]

[show]Change in health insurance coverage by source, 2000-2012

Spending and costs

See also: Total healthcare spending by state

Healthcare spending and costs have become a top priority for both state and federal legislators amid growing concern from consumers and employers. Healthcare spending as a percentage of the national gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 5 percent in 1960 to reach 17.4 percent in 2009, or over one-sixth of the nation's economy, where it remained steady through 2013. Total healthcare spending in both the public and private sectors amounted to $2.9 trillion in 2013. Federal, state and local governments were responsible for about 43 percent of that spending. Projections have shown that if healthcare spending continues to increase at its current rate, it will reach 19.3 percent of GDP in 2023.^[25]^[26]^[27]^[28]

The rise in spending has been attributed partially to increased demand, but in large part to the increased price of delivering and receiving care.

“	Between January 1988 and January 2009, the consumer price index (CPI) rose 82 percent, while the medical component of CPI rose 175 percent.^[29]	”
—National Conference of State Legislatures

Such costs mean less disposable income for consumers, greater expenses to hire new employees for employers, and difficulty writing budgets for lawmakers.^[30]^[31]

In 2009, the most recent year for which state-level data are available, total healthcare spending nationwide was $2.5 trillion. In Florida, total healthcare spending amounted to $132.5 billion, 18.2 percent of gross state product (GSP). Total spending came out to about $7,156 per person, highest among neighboring states.^[32]^[33]^[34]

[hide]Total healthcare spending^*, 2009
State	Total health spending (in millions)	Percent of GSP	Health spending per capita	Avg. annual percent growth^†
Florida	$132,463	18.24%	$7,156	6.9%
Alabama	$29,524	17.92%	$6,272	5.9%
Georgia	$53,655	13.71%	$5,467	6.6%
Mississippi	$19,384	21.03%	$6,571	7%
United States^‡	$2,505,800	17.4%	$8,175	6.8%
^* "Total Health Spending includes spending for all privately and publicly funded personal health care services and products (hospital care, physician services, nursing home care, prescription drugs, etc.) by state of residence. Hospital spending is included and reflects the total net revenue (gross charges less contractual adjustments, bad debts, and charity care)." ^† 1991–2009 ^‡ Data come directly from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, "NHE Summary including share of GDP, CY 1960-2013" Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

In Florida, nearly equal parts of healthcare spending went to hospital care and physician/professional services. Average spending trends across the country saw greater spending on hospital care than physician/professional services, making spending in Florida relatively unique.^[35]

Government spending

See also: Florida state budget and finances

Medicaid and Medicare

Medicaid

See also: Medicaid spending in Florida

During fiscal year 2012, combined federal and state spending for Medicaid, was higher in Florida than in its neighboring states, totaling about $17.9 billion. Spending per enrollee amounted to $5,111, above only that in Georgia. The federal government accounted for 56 percent of total Medicaid spending, while the state government was responsible for 44 percent. Between 2000 and 2012, Medicaid spending experienced greater growth in Florida than in neighboring states, increasing by 82 percent, or about 5.1 percent per year. Florida dedicated a larger portion of its 2012 budget to Medicaid than its neighbors, 30.6 percent.^[36]^[37]^[38]^[39]^[40]

[hide]Medicaid spending, fiscal year 2012
State	Total spending^*^†	Per enrollee^*^†	Total growth^‡	Compound annual growth rate^‡	Federal share^*	State share^*	Percent of state budget
Florida	$17,906,910,735	$5,111	82%	5.1%	56%	44%	30.6%
Alabama	$5,027,020,046	$4,847	47%	3.2%	69%	31%	23.3%
Georgia	$8,525,953,526	$6,524	53%	3.6%	66%	34%	21.5%
Mississippi	$4,465,933,337	$6,499	76%	4.8%	74%	26%	23.4%
United States	$415,154,234,831	$6,833	63%	4.1%	57%	43%	N/A
^* "Expenditures do not include administrative costs, accounting adjustments, or the U.S. Territories." ^† Includes both state and federal expenditures. ^‡ 2000–2012. Includes payments for services, administrative expenses, and DSH payments.

Acute care services are those that are typically provided within a short time frame, such as inpatient hospital stays, lab tests and prescription drugs. Long-term care services, on the other hand, are those provided over a long period of time, such as home care and mental health treatment. Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments are funds given to hospitals that tend to serve more low-income and uninsured patients than other hospitals. Florida spent a greater percentage of its Medicaid funds on acute care than any of its neighboring states. Meanwhile, it spent the smallest portion on payments to DSHs, 2 percent. The remaining 26.6 percent went toward long-term care services.^[41]

In 2010, there were 3,703,388 Florida residents enrolled in Medicaid. The majority of spending, 67 percent, was on the elderly and disabled, who made up 28 percent of Medicaid enrollees. This is typical of most states, since this group of enrollees is "more likely to have complex health care needs that require costly acute and long-term care services," according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. The proportion of these individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid is taken into consideration when lawmakers make appropriations for the program each year.^[42]

[hide]Distribution of Medicaid enrollment and payments, 2010
State	Enrollment rates			Payment for services
State	Total	Elderly and disabled individuals	Parents and children	Total (in billions)	Elderly and disabled individuals	Parents and children
Florida	3,703,388	28%	72%	$16.4	67%	33%
Alabama	1,015,576	33%	67%	$4.2	60%	40%
Georgia	1,869,622	25%	75%	$7.3	59%	41%
Mississippi	772,141	33%	67%	$0.9	66%	34%
United States	66,390,642	24%	76%	$369.3	64%	36%
Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts, "State Health Care Spending on Medicaid"

Medicare

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for elderly persons over age 65 and younger individuals with certain disabilities. Medicare accounted for 14 percent of the federal budget in 2013. In 2009, the most recent year for which state spending data is available, total federal Medicare spending for enrollees in Florida amounted to $39.1 billion. Per enrollee spending was higher in Florida than in any of its neighboring states, $11,893. This was also greater than the national average.^[43]^[44]^[45]^[46]

[hide]Medicare spending and growth, 2009
State	Total (in millions)	Average annual growth rate^*	Per enrollee	Average annual growth rate^*
Florida	$39,119	8.6%	$11,893	6.7%
Alabama	$8,042	7.9%	$9,718	5.9%
Georgia	$11,743	8.6%	$9,836	5.8%
Mississippi	$5,205	8.5%	$10,667	6.9%
United States	$471,260	8.0%	$10,362	6.4%
^* 1991–2009 Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

In 2012, there were 3,527,830 individuals in Florida enrolled in Medicare, or 18.5 percent of the state population. Aged beneficiaries made up 84.8 percent of the total number, while 15.2 percent were disabled.^[47]^[48]^[49]

[hide]Medicare beneficiaries, 2012
State	Number	Percent of population	Eligibility category
State	Number	Percent of population	Aged	Disabled
Florida	3,527,830	18.5%	84.8%	15.2%
Alabama	881,686	18.4%	72.7%	27.3%
Georgia	1,318,733	13.4%	78.4%	21.6%
Mississippi	516,809	17.4%	72.6%	27.4%
United States	49,435,610	16.0%	81.4%	18.6%
Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

Dual eligibility

Some individuals, such as low-income seniors, are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid; these individuals are known as dual-eligible beneficiaries. For those enrolled in Medicare who are eligible, enrolling in Medicaid may provide some benefits not covered by Medicare, such as stays longer than 100 days at nursing facilities, prescription drugs, eyeglasses, and hearing aids. Medicaid may also be used to help pay for Medicare premiums. Total Medicaid spending for dual eligibles in Florida amounted to $7.2 billion. Most payments were made toward long-term care.^[50]^[51]

[hide]Medicaid spending for dual eligibles by service, fiscal year 2011 (in millions)
State	Medicare premiums	Acute care	Prescribed drugs	Long-term care	Total
Florida	$1,122	$1,927	$87	$4,054	$7,190
Alabama	$250	$245	$13	$1,125	$1,633
Georgia	$295	$366	$26	$1,596	$2,283
Mississippi	$201	$377	$9	$1,014	$1,602
United States	$13,489	$40,190	$1,462	$91,765	$146,906
Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

Prison healthcare

See also: Prison healthcare

In 1976, the United States Supreme Court ruled that adequate healthcare for prisoners is a constitutional right and that the refusal to provide them with such violates the Eighth Amendment prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment. As such, state budget allocations for correctional facilities, like other healthcare expenditures, have continued to grow, especially as the prison population ages. Correctional healthcare spending nationwide totaled $7.7 billion in 2011, or $6,047 per inmate, which The Pew Charitable Trusts estimated to be about one-fifth of total prison spending. This was up from 2007, but down from a peak in 2009 as the average daily prison population decreased. States have experienced fiscal pressure to manage prison healthcare costs without compromising prisoners' right to quality care.^[52]

“	The manner in which states manage prison health care services that meet these legal requirements affects not only inmates' health, but also the public's health and safety and taxpayers' total corrections bill.^[29]	”
—The Pew Charitable Trusts

In Florida, the percentage of inmates age 55 and older rose by about 29 percent, from 7 percent of the prison population to 9 percent. This was a greater increase and total percentage than in any of Florida’s neighboring states. Total prison healthcare spending in Florida was $424.6 million, or $4,670 per inmate, the highest per inmate spending among neighboring states.^[52]

[hide]State spending on prison healthcare
State	Category	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	Percent change
Florida	Total spending*	$409,646	$443,595	$416,244	$427,795	$424,592	4%
	Daily prison population	83,965	87,035	90,417	91,574	90,927	8%
	Per inmate spending	$4,879	$5,097	$4,604	$4,672	$4,670	-4%
	Percent of inmates age 55+	7%	7%	7%	8%	9%	29%
Alabama	Total spending*	$89,057	$92,465	$94,206	$96,215	$97,266	9%
	Daily prison population	28,760	25,523	26,179	25,841	25,806	-10%
	Per inmate spending	$3,097	$3,623	$3,599	$3,723	$3,769	22%
	Percent of inmates age 55+	6.3%	6.7%	6.7%	7.2%	7.9%	25%
Georgia	Total spending*	$206,094	$229,106	$215,069	$207,282	$208,103	1%
	Daily prison population	53,864	54,629	54,767	53,704	51,794	-4%
	Per inmate spending	$3,826	$4,194	$3,927	$3,860	$4,018	5%
	Percent of inmates age 55+	6.3%	6.8%	6.9%	7.5%	7.9%	26%
Mississippi	Total spending*	$57,775	$66,743	$66,262	$69,299	$64,575	12%
	Daily prison population	19,824	20,553	20,788	19,812	19,305	-3%
	Per inmate spending	$2,914	$3,247	$3,188	$3,498	$3,345	15%
	Percent of inmates age 55+	6%	5%	5%	6%	6%	0%
^* In thousands. Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts, "State Prison Health Care Spending"

State employees

See also: State employee health plans

State employee health insurance accounts for the second-largest portion of state healthcare spending, behind only Medicaid. The total cost of insurance for state workers was $30.7 billion nationwide in 2013, with $25.1 billion paid for by the states. Premium costs varied widely, with higher premiums found in states such as New Hampshire and Vermont compared to those in states like Arkansas and Mississippi. Part of this variation is due to demographic factors and provider prices, and part may be attributed to differences in health plan "richness," or the cost sharing between the insurer and health plan enrollees, such as deductibles and copayments.^[53]

“	State health plans were generally "rich," paying on average 92 percent of the typical enrollees’ health care costs. By way of context, these plans would be designated "platinum" plans within the new health insurance marketplaces.^[29]	”
—The Pew Charitable Trusts

Several states are experimenting with various cost-containment methods. "Pooled public employee health benefit programs" are one such strategy, which are mergers between state employee health plans and those of other, smaller public employers, such as city governments and school districts. The idea is to save on administrative costs for insurers and leverage the larger pool to negotiate lower premium rates. Evidence of cost savings is mixed, with the smaller public employers reaping most of the benefits. Programs for pooling public employee health plans have been implemented in 31 states; as of December 2014, Florida was one of them. According to the [[National Conference of State Legislatures, Florida allows public school districts to join its health plan.^[54]

Florida is one of 46 states that “self-fund at least one of their employee health care plans,” meaning that rather than purchasing insurance, the state pays health insurance claims with state and employee out-of-pocket insurance contributions while an insurer administers the benefits. As of 2013, there were 24 states offering plans with a $0 deductible; Florida was one of these states, with 55 percent of state employees enrolled in such a plan.^[53]^[54]

Net state employee health plan expenditures in Florida totaled $1.4 billion in 2013. Net expenditures for state employee health plans dropped by 6 percent in Florida from 2011 to 2013, while nationwide net expenditures fell by 1 percent..^[53]

Note: Due to such variations as demographics, plan richness and provider rates, "higher spending is not necessarily an indication of waste, and lower spending is not necessarily a sign of efficiency."^[53]

[hide]State employee health plan spending (in thousands)
State	Total state expenditures (gross)		Change	Total state expenditures (net)		Change
State	2011	2013	Change	2011	2013	Change
Florida	$1,709,924	$1,600,160	-6%	$1,483,773	$1,388,552	-6%
Alabama	$319,012	$299,038	-6%	$244,199	$222,317	-9%
Georgia	$562,834	$596,437	6%	$432,056	$432,725	0%
Mississippi	$323,775	$315,057	-3%	$251,250	$243,504	-3%
United States	$30,311,259	$30,692,147	1%	$25,263,863	$25,071,413	-1%
Note: "Gross expenditures include employer and employee premium contributions. Net expenditures include only employer premium contributions. All spending figures are in 2013 dollars." Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts, "State Employee Health Plan Spending"

Florida’s average state employee health plan premiums for single and family coverage were the highest among neighboring states. The state paid on average 87 percent of the premiums.^[53]

[hide]Average state employee health plan monthly premiums, 2013
State	Single			Family			Employer contribution percentage	Employee contribution percentage
State	Total premium	Employer contribution	Employee contribution	Total premium	Employer contribution	Employee contribution	Employer contribution percentage	Employee contribution percentage
Florida	$549	$500	$50	$1,242	$1,063	$179	87%	13%
Alabama	$383	$298	$85	$1,038	$763	$275	74%	26%
Georgia	$518	$395	$122	$1,171	$833	$338	73%	27%
Mississippi	$391	$356	$35	$729	$356	$373	77%	23%
United States	$570	$502	$68	$1,233	$1,004	$230	84%	16%
Note: "Due to rounding, the sum of employer and employee contributions may differ from total premium." Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts, "State Employee Health Plan Spending"

Private insurance

See also: Private health insurance

Premiums

For private insurance, consumers typically either receive coverage through their employer or buy it on their own through the individual market. As healthcare costs have increased, so have insurance premiums. Between 2000 and 2014, insurance premiums for employer-sponsored plans, including state and local government plans, increased 144 percent for single coverage and 161 percent for family coverage. However, the rate of increase has slowed in more recent years. Between 2000 and 2007, premiums grew by 81 percent for single coverage and 88 percent for family coverage. Between 2007 and 2014, the rates of increase were 34.5 percent and 39 percent, respectively.^[55]

Employers have reacted to these costs in a number of ways, one of which has been to shift more responsibility for premium contributions to their employees. The portion of premiums paid by employees for single coverage has increased by four percentage points, from 14 percent to 18 percent, since 2000, and by three percentage points, from 26 percent to 29 percent, for family coverage. Average deductibles for employees have also risen, doubling from $584 to $1,135 between 2006 and 2013.^[55]^[56]

In Florida's private, employer-based insurance market, average premiums for employer-sponsored coverage amounted to $5,383 for single coverage and $16,070 for family coverage. The single coverage figure was below the national average, while the family coverage figure was roughly equal. Employees contributed about $1,408 per year for single coverage and $5,653 for family coverage. As shown in the bar chart above, premiums in Florida's individual market were greater than in its neighboring states, averaging about $233 per month, or $2,797 per year.^[57]^[58]^[59]

[hide]Average annual premiums for private employer-based insurance, 2013
State	Single			Family
State	Employee contribution	Employer contribution	Total	Employee contribution	Employer contribution	Total
Florida	$1,408	$3,975	$5,383	$5,653	$10,417	$16,070
Alabama	$1,379	$3,825	$5,204	$3,791	$9,686	$13,477
Georgia	$1,219	$4,155	$5,374	$4,435	$10,327	$14,762
Mississippi	$1,097	$3,864	$4,961	$4,376	$9,677	$14,053
United States	$1,170	$4,401	$5,571	$4,421	$11,608	$16,029
Note: "Figures may not sum exactly due to rounding." Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

In 2013, private sector employers in Florida contributed on average 73.8 percent to single coverage premiums and 64.8 percent to family coverage premiums. Click on the table below to view further details and state comparisons.^[60]^[61]

[show]Average annual premiums for private employer-based insurance, 2013 (percents)

Competitiveness

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation measured the competitiveness of the private health insurance market in 2013, using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) as an indicator. The HHI takes into account how much of a market is controlled by each of the companies competing within it (market share) and is expressed in a value between zero and 10,000. The lower the number, the more competitive the market. The analysis was divided into individual, small group and large group insurance markets. The data also includes information on the market share of the largest insurer in each state, as well as the number of insurers with a market share of greater than five percent.^[62]^[63]^[64]^[65]

The individual, small group and large group insurance markets were more competitive in Florida than in its neighboring states, with the exception of Georgia. Within the state, the individual market was the most competitive, with the largest insurer holding a market share of 47 percent.^[62]^[63]^[64]

[hide]Health insurance market competition, 2013
State	Individual			Small group			Large group
State	HHI^*	Market share of largest insurer	Insurers with >5% market share	HHI^*	Market share of largest insurer	Insurers with >5% market share	HHI^*	Market share of largest insurer	Insurers with >5% market share
Florida	2,731	47%	5	2,804	35%	5	3,182	51%	5
Alabama	8,250	91%	2	9,483	97%	1	8,375	91%	1
Georgia	2,465	36%	3	2,278	28%	4	2,512	42%	5
Mississippi	4,092	60%	3	7,329	85%	2	6,944	82%	2
United States	3,888	55%	3	3,841	57%	4	4,038	57%	4
^* "The Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) is a measure of how evenly market share is distributed across insurers in the market. HHI values range from 0 to 10,000, with an HHI closer to zero indicating a more competitive market and closer to 10,000 indicating a less competitive market. An HHI index below 1,000 generally indicates a highly competitive market; an HHI between 1,000 and 1,500 indicates an unconcentrated market; a score between 1,500 and 2,500 indicates moderate concentration; and a value above 2,500 indicates a highly concentrated (uncompetitive) market." Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

Other sectors

Pharmaceuticals

See also: Prescription drug sales by state

In the United States, there are more than 10,000 FDA-approved medicines available for doctors to prescribe or individuals to purchase over-the-counter. A major target of state healthcare cost-containment efforts is the price of these medicines. Prescription drugs generated a total of $259 billion in sales at retail pharmacies nationwide in 2014. Since generic drugs tend to be significantly less expensive than their brand name equivalents, all states allow pharmacists to dispense generics in place of brand name drugs for prescriptions. This practice is required in 13 states, except when a brand name drug is specifically ordered by a physician; this group of states includes Florida.^[66]

Additionally, state Medicaid programs typically take a number of steps to control spending on pharmaceuticals. Most common are establishing preferred drug lists, which are prescription drugs that are automatically covered by the program, and negotiating rebates with manufacturers for both brand name and generic drugs. Florida's Medicaid program utilized both of these strategies.^[67]

In 2014, retail sales of prescription drugs at pharmacies in Florida amounted to $15.6 billion, with about 248.9 million drugs sold. On average, women and individuals over age 65 bought more prescription drugs than men and those under age 65. These totals do not include medications sold over-the-counter.^[68]^[69]^[70]^[71]

[hide]Prescription drugs filled at retail pharmacies, 2014
State	Total sales for retail Rx drugs	Total number retail Rx drugs	Number per capita by age			Number per capita by gender
State	Total sales for retail Rx drugs	Total number retail Rx drugs	Ages 0-18	Ages 19-64	Ages 65+	Male	Female
Florida	$15,583,530,624	248,850,279	4.1	11.8	25.9	10.8	14.6
Alabama	$5,166,108,990	84,280,150	5.6	17.6	36.1	14.3	20.5
Georgia	$7,963,555,676	126,152,436	4.1	12.5	32.2	10.3	15.
Mississippi	$2,907,188,312	52,221,675	6.7	17.2	39.	14.1	20.8
United States	$259,092,876,285	4,002,661,750	4.1	12.6	27.9	10.4	14.9
Note: "These totals include prescriptions filled at pharmacies only and a small portion of over-the-counter medications and repackagers and exclude those filled by mail order." Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, "State Health Facts"

Monitoring programs

States are also focusing on curbing prescription drug abuse and fraud as a method to contain costs.^[72]

“	According to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, prescription drug misuse, abuse and fraud cost private health insurers almost $25 billion a year.^[29]	”
—National Conference of State Legislatures

Between 2004 and 2009, there was a documented increase of 98.4 percent in emergency room visits caused by such abuse and misuse of prescription drugs. As an effort to combat the rise in prescription drug abuse and fraud, all but two states have authorized the development of prescription drug databases that can monitor the dispensing of certain controlled substances. These programs have been bolstered by federal grants encouraging their implementation.^[72]

Florida has an operational prescription drug monitoring program that monitors the dispensing of Schedule II, Schedule III and Schedule IV drugs. Information must be reported weekly by pharmacies and practitioners that are authorized to dispense such drugs. These requirements exclude drugs directly administered to patients in hospitals, healthcare facilities, correctional centers and emergency rooms, as well as drugs dispensed for a one-time two-day period. The law does not require patients to be notified of the monitoring program.^[73]

Right to try

Under the current model, access to experimental drugs by terminally ill patients is controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which must give its approval after it receives a form from a patient's physician. What are known as "right to try" laws aim to allow such patients to gain access to experimental drugs without the permission of the FDA. As of March 2016, 27 states in total had adopted right-to-try legislation. Florida enacted a right-to-try law in June 2015.^[74]^[75]

Health information technology

The HHS on the HIPAA Privacy Rule

Health information technology (IT) refers to electronic systems that manage, store and transmit health information, such as patient records. The adoption of modernized health IT has been promoted by the federal government as a way to increase quality while decreasing costs. For instance, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 required most health providers to adopt electronic health records by 2015. However, the digitization of health data raises concerns about the privacy of such data, which could be vulnerable to a breach if not properly secured. Since 1996, health IT privacy and security has been governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which required and set national standards for the confidentiality of patient information "when it is transferred, received, handled, or shared."^[76]^[77]^[78]

All-payer claims databases are one form of health IT that a growing number of states are implementing to track healthcare costs. All-payer claims databases are state systems for collecting data from public and private health insurance claims on demographics, types of services and total charges. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, "the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to build a nationwide all-payer claims database consisting of a representative sample of the population." All-payer claims databases exist in 17 states, while another 17 have demonstrated a "strong interest" in creating one. To view the status of such a program in Florida, click here.^[79]^[80]^[81]^[82]

Studies

Citizen health

Each year, the United Health Foundation releases a report titled "America's Health Rankings," which measures the overall health of the citizens in each state. The United Health Foundation is a nonprofit organization that "provides helpful information to support decisions that lead to better health outcomes and healthier communities." Factors taken into account for the report include the percentage of the state population that smokes tobacco, incidents of infectious diseases such as Salmonella, percent of the population uninsured, the number of primary care physicians, and the rate of infant mortality, among others.^[83]^[84]

In its 2014 report, Florida ranked 32nd in the nation, up from 34th in 2012. According to the report, although the state had a low high school graduation rate and high incidence of Salmonella, there was a low prevalence of smoking and obesity, and drug deaths had declined in the state over the previous two years.^[83]

Florida ranked higher than each of its neighboring states: Mississippi (50th), Georgia (38th) and Alabama (43rd). To read the full report, click here.^[83]

Recent legislation

The following is a list of recent healthcare policy bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Florida state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, then no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Healthcare legislation in Florida

FL S0046 - Health Insurance Cost Sharing (Introduced)

An act relating to health insurance cost sharing; creating s. 627.6383, F.S.; defining the term “cost sharing requirement”; requiring specified individual health insurers and their pharmacy benefit managers to apply payments by or on behalf...

11/22/2022: Filed
FL H0357 - Pharmacies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (Passed)

An act relating to pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers; transferring, renumbering, and amending s. 465.1885, F.S.; revising the entities conducting pharmacy audits to which certain requirements and restrictions apply; authorizing audited...

06/09/2022: Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
FL S0596 - Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsels (Passed)

Specifying the responsibilities of regional counsels regarding witness coordination; removing the requirement that regional counsel employees be governed by Justice Administrative Commission classification and salary and benefits plans; providing...

06/09/2022: Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
FL S1062 - Service of Process (Passed)

Authorizing the Department of State to electronically receive service of process under ch. 48, F.S.; revising procedures for service on partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and limited partnerships; requiring designation of registered...

06/08/2022: Signed by Officers and presented to Governor
FL H5009 - State Group Insurance Program (Signed/Enacted)

An act relating to the state group insurance program; amending s. 110.123, F.S.; providing and revising definitions; authorizing eligible former employees to participate in the state group insurance program; removing certain benefit levels for...

06/03/2022: Chapter No. 2022-160
FL S2526 - Health (Signed/Enacted)

Providing an appropriation to the Board of Directors of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute for a specified purpose; authorizing pharmacists and wholesalers employed by or under contract with forensic facilities managed by...

06/03/2022: Chapter No. 2022-150
FL H4329 - Encore Healthcare - Medicaid Respiratory Disease Management Pilot Program (Vetoed)

An act relating to the Appropriations Project titled Encore Healthcare - Medicaid Respiratory Disease Management Pilot Program; providing an appropriation; providing an effective date.

06/02/2022: Vetoed by Governor; See HB 5001 (line item 189)
FL H0959 - Department of Financial Services (Signed/Enacted)

An act relating to Department of Financial Services; repealing s. 17.0315, F.S., relating to the financial and cash management system and task force; amending s. 48.151, F.S.; providing an exception to service of process on public entities under...

05/26/2022: Chapter No. 2022-138
FL H0899 - Mental Health of Students (Signed/Enacted)

An act relating to mental health of students; amending s. 394.463, F.S.; revising data the Department of Children and Families is required to analyze when creating its annual report on the initiation of certain involuntary examinations; amending...

05/19/2022: Chapter No. 2022-126
FL H0459 - Step-therapy Protocols (Signed/Enacted)

An act relating to step-therapy protocols; amending s. 627.42393, F.S.; revising the circumstances under which step-therapy protocols may not be required; defining terms; requiring health insurers to publish on their websites and provide to...

04/08/2022: Chapter No. 2022-47
FL H1239 - Nursing Homes (Signed/Enacted)

An act relating to nursing homes; amending s. 400.021, F.S.; revising a definition; amending s. 400.23, F.S.; providing definitions; specifying functions that do not constitute direct care staffing hours for purposes of required nursing home...

04/08/2022: Chapter No. 2022-61
FL S0292 - Newborn Screenings (Signed/Enacted)

Requiring hospitals and other state-licensed birthing facilities to test for congenital cytomegalovirus in newborns within a specified timeframe under certain circumstances; revising the timeframe in which health care providers attending home...

04/08/2022: Chapter No. 2022-25
FL S0534 - Prescription Drugs Used in the Treatment of Schizophrenia for Medicaid Recipients (Signed/Enacted)

Authorizing the approval of drug products or certain medication prescribed for the treatment of schizophrenia or schizotypal or delusional disorders for Medicaid recipients who have not met the step-therapy prior authorization criteria, when...

04/08/2022: Chapter No. 2022-27
FL S1222 - Acute and Post-acute Hospital Care at Home (Signed/Enacted)

Authorizing certified paramedics to perform basic life support services, advanced life support services, and additional health care services to acute care at-home patients in nonemergent community settings under certain circumstances; providing...

04/08/2022: Chapter No. 2022-35
FL S1262 - Mental Health and Substance Abuse (Signed/Enacted)

Authorizing emergency contact information to be released to certain entities; revising the conditions under which a patient's communication with persons outside of a receiving facility may be restricted; requiring a receiving facility to notify...

04/08/2022: Chapter No. 2022-36
FL S1770 - Donor Human Milk Bank Services (Signed/Enacted)

Authorizing the Agency for Health Care Administration to pay for donor human milk bank services as an optional Medicaid service if certain conditions are met; authorizing the agency to seek federal approval; adding donor human milk bank services...

04/08/2022: Chapter No. 2022-40
FL S0282 - Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders (Signed/Enacted)

Providing that the use of peer specialists is an essential element of a coordinated system of care in recovery from a substance use disorder or mental illness; revising background screening requirements for certain peer specialists; requiring...

03/11/2022: Chapter No. 2022-13
FL S1796 - Dissolution of Marriage (Passed)

Requiring the court to prioritize certain forms of alimony; authorizing the court to grant permanent alimony only if both parties enter into such agreement; revising factors that the court must consider in determining the proper type and amount...

03/09/2022: Ordered enrolled
FL S0806 - Alzheimer's Disease and Related Forms of Dementia Education and Public Awareness (Passed)

Creating the "Ramping up Education of Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia for You (READY) Act"; requiring the Department of Health, in collaboration with the Department of Elderly Affairs and the Alzheimer's Association, to develop and disseminate...

03/07/2022: Ordered enrolled

Ballot measures

Voting on Healthcare

Ballot Measures
By state
By year
Not on ballot
Local Measures

See also: Healthcare on the ballot and List of Florida ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to healthcare matters in Florida.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Florida healthcare. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Healthcare policy in Florida - Google News

External links

Additional reading

Footnotes

Only the first few references on this page are shown above. Click to show more.

Why is it so hard to find a primary care doctor right now?

2022-12-07

It’s important to find a primary care physician you can develop a relationship with, but a shortage of doctors means it can be a frustrating process.

Dec. 6, 2022, 8:28 AM EST / Source: TODAY

By A. Pawlowski

Just as I finally found a primary care doctor I liked and settled into an annual checkup routine, I was shocked to receive a letter announcing that she was retiring this fall.

So here we go again: researching doctors, asking for recommendations and calling practices to see which primary care physicians are accepting new patients. Many are not.

If it feels like there is a shortage of primary care doctors, experts confirm that’s exactly the case and it’s only expected to worsen.

“We have a crisis in primary care. There’s no question,” Dr. Russ Phillips, director of the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care in Boston, tells TODAY.com.

“It’s a huge issue that translates into shorter lives… it’s really frustrating.”

The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a primary care physician shortage of up to 55,000 doctors within the next decade in the U.S.

It doesn’t even have to take a retirement to force you to look for a new doctor. If you already have a provider but haven’t booked a visit in a while, you may be in for a surprise. Some practices will purge patients from their roster if they haven’t made an appointment in a few years and then “may just not have the flexibility to take them on again,” Phillips says.

Why is there a primary care doctor shortage?

There are several reasons why you may be having trouble finding a primary doctor, even as a a “tripledemic” of COVID-19, RSV and the flu makes it seem like everyone’s sick right now:

Burnout:

A full-time primary care physician typically cares for up to 2,400 patients, Phillips says. The work requires an ever-growing list of recommended screenings and checks.

“A recent study showed that to do all the work required of primary care takes 26 hours a day and as you can imagine, that makes for a very hard job,” he notes. It leaves some doctors struggling or leaving the profession.

The huge workload also includes updating patients’ electronic health records, with doctors now spending half their time doing administrative work as opposed to actively seeing their patients, Dr. Sterling Ransone, Jr., a family physician in Deltaville, Virginia, and chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians, tells TODAY.com.

GIFT GUIDES 49 trendy gifts the TikTok-obsessed person in your life has been eyeing

LIFESTYLE & FITNESS The benefits of compression socks for travel, work and more, according to experts

“Taking that time away from our patients for a lot of physicians has been really frustrating and it also is contributing to some of the burnout that we’re seeing,” Ransone says.

“The only way to put any constraints on the amount of work one needs to do is to limit the size of the practice, so (doctors) try to do that by limiting access to new patients,” Phillips adds. His practice has been closed to new patients at times because of the pent up demand for appointments over the past year or so.

Viral flu surge is turning US’ ‘tripledemic’ fears into a reality

DEC. 3, 202202:20

Wave of retirements:

The primary care physician workforce has gradually been getting older and many doctors are nearing retirement age, Phillips says. At the same time, the overall U.S. population is also getting older — with more people over 65 living in the U.S. than kids by 2034, according to the Census Bureau — which means patients need more medical care.

“Due to the nature of the work, and especially to the extent it’s been worsened by COVID, it has led to more retirements and earlier retirements as well,” he notes.

Not enough younger doctors to replace retiring physicians:

In addition to the huge workload and high stress levels, primary care is the one of the lowest paid specialties, Phillips says. That means not enough younger doctors in the pipeline are choosing to become family physicians.

“Many of our students these days are looking for jobs that are more constrained where they can potentially leave their work behind them at night when they go home. And it’s very difficult to do that with the way primary care is constructed,” he notes.

Doctors fleeing to concierge medicine:

It means taking care of a much smaller roster of patients — perhaps 400 per doctor in concierge care vs. 2,400 in a typical practice. When a doctor makes that move, hundreds of their previous patients are left without a physician.

How to find a primary care doctor:

It’s important to have a primary care physician you can trust and develop a relationship with not only for “first contact care,” such as treatment for a sore throat or back pain; but also preventive care and continuity of care, Phillips says.

“It does translate into better life expectancy over the long term,” he adds. “(Patients) are generally more likely to get their evidence-based screenings done like colonoscopies and mammograms — things that have been shown to prolong life.”

He offered these tips to find a new doctor:

If your doctor is retiring, ask the practice to assign you to another doctor in the same office. They’re not obligated to place you and the other doctors may not have the capacity to absorb all patients, but it’s a possibility.
If you’ve been dropped by your practice because you haven’t made an appointment in a few years, try to reach out to your doctor directly. Phillips has never turned down a patient who wants to come back and lets him know — even though the main office may have him officially listed as not accepting new patients.
If you are getting care from a cardiologist, dermatologist or other specialty physician, ask them for a recommendation or to refer you to a primary care physician.
Call the local hospital. They may be able to tell you which doctors have just come on board and are accepting new patients.

This is TODAY

Your day starts here. The latest in news, pop culture, wellness and more from TODAY.

True Freedom Home Care Plans Offered by Elliot Glass Coral Springs Insurance Agency

2022-11-14

True Freedom Plans are an alternative for seniors who have been declined and/or cannot afford a Long-Term Care Insurance Plan.

True Freedom Plans are an alternative for seniors who have been declined and/or cannot afford a Long-Term Care Insurance Plan. Insurance Management Corporation is proud to offer American Senior Services, Inc.’s (ASSI) True Freedom Nationwide Home Care Plans, which are an alternative product to traditional insurance.