Florida Affordable Care Act Comprehensive Guide
In this article, you will learn about the Affordable Care Act health care reform laws in Florida. You will get an understanding of how the health care law impacts you as a citizen of the state. Learn how to sign-up for the Affordable Care Act, learn about the Affordable Care Act penalty and subsidies, and much more.
What is Florida Affordable Care Act?
Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama Care, was signed into law in March 2010. The goal of the Affordable Care Act is to provide US citizens with affordable health insurance and to reduce the cost of health care spending for families and in America.
The Key Points of the Affordable Care Act / Florida Obamacare:
- Improving Quality and Lowering Health Care Cost
- Access to Affordable Health Care
- New Consumer Protections
- Individual Mandate | Employer Mandate
- Minimum Essential Coverage for each Health Insurance plans
How to Apply for Florida Affordable Care Act?
Florida Affordable Care Act marketplace is run by the Federal government. Click on HealthCare.gov to access Florida Affordable Care Marketplace. You can preview the different insurance plans and see participating doctors before selecting the final health insurance plan.
| State | Federal or State Marketplace | Website | Medicaid Expansion? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Federal | www.HealthCare.gov | No |
When can I apply for Florida Affordable Care Act (Florida ACA)?
Florida Affordable Care Act’s Open Enrollment starts on November 1 and ends on December 15. To have health insurance coverage beginning in the following year, you must apply before the December 15 deadline.
In order to qualify for Tax Credit or Premium Tax Subsidies, you must purchase health insurance from the Affordable Care Act Marketplace during the Open Enrollment period.
If you qualify for Florida Medicaid health insurance, then you can sign-up for Medicaid any time of the year.
When is the deadline for Florida Affordable Care Act (FL ACA)?
Important dates for Florida Affordable Care Act deadlines: The absolute last day to purchase health insurance from the Marketplace is December 15.
- November 1: First day to enroll in or change plans for new insurance
- December 15: Last day to enroll in or change plans for new coverage to start the new year
How much is Florida Affordable Care Act?
There are four different plans within the Florida Affordable Care Act. The metal plans represent the various levels of coverage you receive and what the plan pays on average. The plan levels DO NOT represent the quality of the health coverage/doctors you receive.
- Bronze Plan: The plan pays 60% of the cost, you pay 40% of the cost
- Silver Plan: The plan pays 70% of the cost, you pay 30% of the cost
- Gold Plan: The plan pays 80% of the cost, you pay 20% of the cost
- Platinum Plan: The plan pays 90% of the cost, you pay 10% of the cost
The cost of the Affordable Care Act in Florida depends on the metal plan you choose and the number of people in the household. Platinum plans have the highest insurance premiums (monthly cost) and Bronze plans have the lowest insurance premiums.
What are the Florida Affordable Care Act Eligibility Requirements?
In order to get Florida Affordable Care Act, you must meet the following requirements:
- Must live in Florida
- Must be a US citizen, national, or lawfully present, immigrant
- Cannot be currently incarcerated (be in jailed)
- Have a valid Social Security Number
- and few other requirements
Do I need to get Florida Affordable Care Act?
Yes, every individual in Florida needs to have health insurance. The Individual Mandate of Affordable Care Act health care law requires US citizens to enroll in a health insurance plan or pay a penalty. If you have Medicaid or company-sponsored health insurance, you have met the insurance coverage requirement.
You can choose not to have health insurance, but you have to pay the penalty in addition to the hospitals/doctor’s medical fee if you do get sick.
How much is the Affordable Care Act Penalty in Florida?
The penalty (or also called individual shared responsibility payment) is calculated in two ways.
Starting in the 2019 tax year, there is no longer a penalty for not having health insurance.
From 2016-2018, the ACA penalty is as follows:
- By percentage of income (2.5% of household income or a maximum of National Average Bronze plan premium)
- By number of people in the household ($695 per adult, $347.50 per child, or maximum $2085)
You’ll pay whichever penalty is higher.
How much are Florida ACA Subsidies? What are the requirements?
Affordable Care Act Subsidies are also called, “Premium Tax Credits.”
ACA subsidy lowers your premium – the amount you pay each month to your insurance plan. The amount of your ACA Subsidy depends on the estimated household income that you put on your ACA Marketplace application.
In order to qualify for the Affordable Care Act Subsidy, your income must be between 100% to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level.
| Federal Poverty Level | Insurance Premium After PTC Subsidy |
|---|---|
| Up to 133% FPL | 2% of income |
| 133-150% FPL | 3%-4% of income |
| 150-2000% FPL | 4%-6.3% of income |
| 200-250% FPL | 6.3%-8.05% of income |
| 250-300% FPL | 8.05%-9.5% of income |
| 300-400% FPL | 9.5 of income |
| Over 400% FPL | No Government Subsidy |
Medicaid Expansion under the Affordable Care Act
With the new health care reform, the Federal government offered incentives for states to expand the Medicaid program. 30 states out of the 50 states plus Washington DC expanded Medicaid program while 20 states decided not to expand Medicaid due to expected future cutbacks from the Federal government.
Florida did not expand the Medicaid program.
| State | Medicaid Expansion |
|---|---|
| Florida | No |
Insurance Companies that offer Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Plans in Florida:
The following insurance companies are offering Affordable Care Act Plans in the Marketplace.
- Aetna Insurance Co.
- Florida Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Centene (Ambetter / Sunshine State Health Plan)
- Cigna Health
- Coventry Health Care of Florida (Aetna)
- Florida Health Care Plan Inc.
- Health First Health Plans (in 2 counties)
- Humana Medical Plan, Inc (in 12 counties)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Florida Affordable Care Act:
- Who runs the Florida Affordable Care Act? Federal
- Where can I sign up for Florida Affordable Care Act? Click here
- Do I need to get health insurance or the Affordable Care Act? Yes, if not, you have to pay a penalty.
- How much is Florida Affordable Care Act? Click here for the average ACA premium
- Did Florida expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act? No
Click here for more Frequently Asked Questions on Obamacare / Affordable Care Act.
For more Information on Florida Obamacare / Affordable Care Act:
Federal HealthGov Marketplace
Toll-Free: 1-800-318-2596
Website: HealthCare.gov
Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
http://www.floir.com/
Send consumer questions/complaints to:
Florida Department of Financial Services
Division of Consumer Services
200 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-4288
(877) MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236)
Out of State Callers: (850) 413-3089
http://www.myfloridacfo.com/consumers/needourhelp.htm
ACCESS (Florida Medicaid Program)
Florida Department of Children and Families
1317 Winewood Boulevard
Building 1, Room 202
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0700
(888) 367-6554
http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/access/medicaid.shtml
Florida’s five largest cities in terms of population: Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, St Petersburg, and Orlando. You can apply for Affordable Care Act Health Insurance in any location in Florida.