Affordable health insurance in Florida

Below are some points that can be helpful to the consumers in Florida who are looking to buy affordable health insurance:

• If some Floridians lost their group health insurance plan from the employer, they may qualify for COBRA continuation coverage.

• Floridians have the option of a federal tax credit that helps in paying COBRA or state continuation coverage premium up to nine months. However, there is condition that such consumers should have lost group health insurance due to involuntary termination of employment that occurred between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009.

• Cover Florida offers health benefits to Floridians who have been uninsured for 6 months or recently lost health coverage.

• In Florida, uninsured or underinsured children under the age of 19 years and not eligible for Medicaid can get health coverage through the Florida KidCare Program. Moreover, children are allowed to stay in their family health insurance policy as dependents till the age of 26 years. This has been achieved with the implementation of healthcare reforms.

• A federal tax credit is available to Floridians who lost their health insurance but are receiving benefits from the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program. This credit is known as the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC).

• Floridians, aged 55-65 and are receiving pension benefits from Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), may qualify for the HCTC.