WASHINGTON – Aug. 5, 2011 – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has completed its website offering health insurance to Floridians with a pre-existing condition – those who have had trouble finding coverage elsewhere.

“For the first time in a year and a half, I now have health care insurance,” says Paul Burns with Charles Burns Real Estate in Fernandina Beach. “It was remarkably easy to enroll and the customer service is efficient.”
 
The coverage is similar to standard health plans. In addition to monthly premiums, for example, participants pay a $25 co-pay for each doctor visit, and they face a yearly deductible (before benefits kick in) of $1,000 to $3,000, according to the HealthCare.gov website.

To qualify for coverage, applicants must:

• Be a citizen or national of the United States or lawfully present in the United States.
• Be uninsured for at least the previous six months.
• Have a pre-existing condition or been denied coverage because of a health problem.

Burns says he was asked to supply either a letter from his doctor or a refusal letter from an insurance company to qualify for the third condition.

Rates vary based on policy selected and applicant’s age. A standard option for a young adult in Florida starts at $176 per month for the standard option and goes up to $237 for the extended option. Adults 55 and older would pay $376 to $505 per month.

For more information or to apply, visit the HealthCare.gov website.

© 2011 Florida Realtors®