Oops. State forgets to post Cover FL information

By Carol Gentry
1/5/2009 © Florida Health News

Enrollment for Cover Florida, the state-sponsored program to make limited coverage available to the state’s millions of uninsured residents, opened today – at least in theory.

Those who qualify for the limited-benefits plans are supposed to be able to link to the applications from the state’s Web site (www.CoverFloridaHealthCare.com.)  But as of 5:30 p.m., there was no such link. And there were no phone numbers to call. Only the summaries of the plans were listed, as they had been for weeks. (Update: Tuesday morning, some company phone numbers were posted)

The lack of information came as a surprise to state Sen. Durell Peaden of Crestview, a retired physician who serves as the legislature's go-to guy on health issues. 
“I thought that was all done,” he said when Florida Health News called.

A spokeswoman for the Agency for Health Care Administration, which is coordinating the effort among the state’s health agencies, said she’d look into it. So did Sterling Ivey, press secretary for Gov. Charlie Crist. 

Crist created the Cover Florida concept a year ago as a help to the growing numbers of uninsured. The state negotiated with private companies and granted six of them authority to sell policies that offer pruned-back benefits for an affordable price. The state’s role is to supervise, not subsidize. 

Two companies, United Healthcare of Florida, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, won permission to sell the plans statewide. Four other companies have regional focus.

The program is available to Floridians who have been uninsured for at least six months. They don’t have to meet the six-month wait if they have lost coverage by being laid off, becoming divorced or widowed or using up their “COBRA” coverage, the extension policy offered to former employees when they leave a job.

--Carol Gentry can be reached at 727-410-3266 or Carol.Gentry@FloridaHealthNews.org.