Whether you’re arriving on a visit to Walt Disney World or traveling to Florida to work or study long-term, you need to be prepared with Florida health insurance.
With plenty of beaches, warm temperatures, and exciting attractions like Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, Florida is one of the most popular destinations in the United States. It regularly welcomes nearly 12 million visitors each month, and its diversity, beautiful weather, and lack of state income tax are also very appealing to new residents.
However, one crucial aspect of living in Florida is health insurance. Like most places in the United States, access to Florida healthcare is largely dictated by an individual’s health insurance. This will often shape which doctors they visit, which hospitals they go to, and how often they’re able to access medical care.
Without health insurance, most visitors and Florida residents will have to pay out of pocket for medical care, which can reach into the thousands or even millions depending on the procedures required.
The American Healthcare System
The reason it’s so critical to obtain health insurance before arriving in Florida is to mitigate high healthcare costs. The United States has some of the highest costs for healthcare in the world, a fact that disproportionately affects individuals who are lower income, people of color, or marginalized in any way.
Navigating the healthcare landscape in the United States can also be challenging. There is no universal healthcare in the United States. Instead, healthcare is funded through a combination of private and public providers. For the most part, the federal government contributes funding to healthcare initiatives, but it’s up to the individual states to administer them and make their own rules and policies, within reason.
Thankfully, health insurance has become more accessible since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014. Now, there are roughly 31 million people who remain uninsured.
56.6% of adults under 65 are covered by insurance purchased through an employer. Most adults over the age of 65 and under the age of 18 are covered by insurance offered through Medicare, the federally sponsored public health insurance plan. Medicare can also be accessed by individuals with long-term disabilities and other serious covered health conditions.
Another federally sponsored plan, Medicaid, is available to lower-income Americans. Since it is administered by individual states, they can determine coverage, benefits, and eligibility within certain limits. For this reason, Medicaid enrollment and coverage varies state to state.
Florida Healthcare
Like the rest of the states, Florida’s government has great latitude in determining healthcare policy. In one recent decision, Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration announced that the state’s Medicaid program would no longer cover gender-affirming care for transgender Floridians. This partisan decision has received overwhelming pushback from the state’s medical community.
In addition to determining which procedures are covered by Medicaid, Florida can also set its own policies regarding enrollment. It recently exercised this prerogative by not expanding access to lower-income adults, as some states have chosen to do.
In Florida, health insurance utilization is as follows:
- 39.5% of residents have insurance through their employer’s group health insurance plan
- 10.4% have non-group private insurance
- 15% are enrolled in Medicaid
- 19.7% are enrolled in Medicare
- 3% have military health insurance
- 12.3% are uninsured
Finding the Best Florida Health Insurance
Having the right health insurance is the best way to avoid paying out of pocket for expensive healthcare in Florida. However, your access will generally depend on factors like age, immigration status, and employment.
Here are some factors to consider, depending on the purpose of your travel to Florida.
Tourists and visitors
Tourists and visitors coming to Florida on shorter trips who do not intend to immigrate should ensure they have the health coverage they need in their travel insurance. Most travel insurance offers emergency medical coverage, which will reimburse any required emergency procedures up to the stated limit.
This insurance is not meant to be used for routine or expected medical care. If you have a pre-existing condition or are at higher risk, you may want to seek dedicated travel health insurance that provides better benefits. If you do not have insurance and need medical care while visiting Florida, you will have to pay out of pocket.
Temporary workers
Individuals coming into Florida on a temporary work visa (H1B) should prioritize getting health insurance from their employer first, as most of the time there is no residency requirement on employer-sponsored group plans.
If your employer does not offer health insurance, or if their plan doesn’t work for your needs, you may be able to enroll in a private plan purchased through the marketplace on Healthcare.gov.
Keep in mind that there is a residency requirement for this coverage, which means that you must be able to prove you are a US resident for tax purposes before you are eligible. It can be challenging to get this documentation together, so we recommend purchasing private travel health insurance, which can cover you as you get settled in Florida.
Green card holders
Green card holders, like temporary workers, are eligible for health insurance based on both their employment and residency status. Check with your employer first to see whether you qualify for their group insurance plan.
If you are not working or don’t want to join your employer’s health insurance plan, you will likely be able to qualify for marketplace insurance through Healthcare.gov.
Lawfully present immigrants like green card holders may also be eligible for Medicaid, depending on their income and how long they’ve been in the country. Since sorting all this out can be complex, it’s a good idea to purchase travel health insurance so you’re covered as you go through the paperwork.
International students
Most international students arriving on an M or F student visa are required by their post-secondary school to carry a certain amount of health insurance coverage. Check with your school first to review their requirements and to see whether they offer a group insurance plan you can join.
Safeguard Your Trip to Florida with Health Insurance
Emergency medical care, transportation, and hospital stays are extremely expensive in Florida. To avoid paying out of pocket, you should always ensure you have the right health insurance. This can help you avoid unnecessary expenses and provide peace of mind that you’ll always be able to access medical care when you need it most.
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