Florida is getting another government-run health insurance exchange, but it’s not the same one set up under the Affordable Care Act.
Florida Health Choices was established in 2008 under then-Speaker of the Florida House Marco Rubio. It was supposed to be an insurance marketplace for small businesses. But the state had a hard time attracting customers. And for a couple of years, not much happened.
Now, Florida Health Choices is getting a reboot. The site will offer limited insurance plans that cover things like dental care and prescription plans. It’s not the same as the healthcare.gov website that sells insurance as part of the Affordable Care Act. Plans on Florida Health Choices won’t be eligible for a federal subsidy and they won’t necessarily meet the minimum coverage for the individual mandate.
An official launch date has not been announced; organizers say they want to make sure the site is functional first.