Health insurance helps pay for your medical bills and health care costs. But shopping around for the right company can be overwhelming, especially for first-time buyers.

To help you find the best provider for your needs, MoneyGeek rounded up the best health insurance companies in Florida based on cost, customer service and metal tier options. We also break down the best companies for different buyer profiles to show you which are best for families, seniors and those on a budget.

MoneyGeek Logo IconBest Health Insurance Florida
2023

The Best Health Insurance in Florida

Best Overall Health Insurance in Florida

With a total score of 95 out of 100, Florida Health Care Plans is MoneyGeek's pick for the best health insurance in Florida. According to MoneyGeek’s analysis, Florida Health Care Plans is the most affordable provider in Florida and received high ratings for customer satisfaction and plan options. However, the best health insurance for you will still depend on your budget and unique health concerns.

Best Overall: Florida Health Care Plans (95/100)

Florida Health Care Plans

pros

More affordable than other options in Florida

Above-average customer service rating

Five metal tier options

Offers out-of-state coverage

Covers preventive care

cons

Only covers out-of-network emergency services

Lacks a central division; regionally owned

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek analyzed the following categories to establish an overall score. While the overall score is out of 100, each component is scaled from one to five, with five being the most favorable. The overall best health insurance company in Florida resulted in the following scores:

  • Overall Score: 95/100
  • Cost Score: 5/5
  • Customer Service Score: 4.5/5
  • Plan Options Score: 4/5

Florida Health Care Plans is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. It has been providing health insurance plans and high-quality care since 1974.

At Florida Health Care Plans, you can receive various benefits, such as out-of-network emergency care through BlueCard and a 24/7 nurse advice line. The company also features the Preferred Fitness Program, allowing you and your dependents free access to over 80 gyms and fitness facilities.

Florida Health Care Plan members also have 24/7 access to doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and other medical experts through Doctor on Demand. This means urgent care and behavioral health services are covered and available anytime, anywhere.

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METHODOLOGY

To calculate the scores of each health insurance company in Florida, MoneyGeek evaluated cost, customer satisfaction and plan data obtained from the Health Insurance Exchange Public Use Files, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint index. We adjusted the weightings to establish the best company for different categories.

Unless specified otherwise, MoneyGeek used a sample profile of a 40-year-old policyholder to reflect rates according to the Health Insurance Marketplace Public Use Files. We averaged plan rates to get a general picture of costs for a specific company. However, your health insurance quotes in Florida will vary based on your unique characteristics, like health needs, age and family size.

Best Health Insurance Runner-Up

Florida Blue (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida) is the runner-up for best health insurance company in Florida, earning high ratings on affordability, customer service and plan options. The company received a MoneyGeek score of 88 out of 100.

Runner-Up: Florida Blue (88/100)

Florida Blue

pros

Affordable plans

Above-average customer service

Five metal tier options

Offers out-of-state coverage

Offers select preventive care coverage

cons

May only cover out-of-network emergency services

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek analyzed the following categories to establish an overall score. While the overall score is out of 100, each component is scaled from one to five, with five being the most favorable. The best health insurance in Florida runner-up resulted in the following scores:

  • Overall Score: 88/100
  • Cost Score: 4/5
  • Customer Service Score: 4.5/5
  • Plan Options Score: 4/5

Florida Blue is the local Blue Cross and Blue Shield network in Florida. It provides affordable health insurance plans and a broad range of health services, including traditional medical and preventive care.

As a Florida Blue policyholder, you can join its personalized online wellness and rewards program, Better You Strides. It allows you to choose which healthy activities you want to participate in and apply your rewards toward qualifying health care costs.

As a bonus, the BlueCard allows policyholders to receive some in-network benefits outside of Florida. However, these out-of-network services may be limited to emergencies.

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CHOOSING A HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY

When shopping for health insurance, it’s important to understand the marketplace’s metal levels. Health plans are typically categorized into metallic tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum) based on networks and medical costs, with Bronze offering the cheapest monthly premiums. Metal tiers do not reflect the quality of health care you’ll receive. Instead, they determine which doctors are in-network and how cost-sharing is structured.

When offered, Catastrophic plans are reserved for those under 30 years of age or who fall within specific affordability or hardship circumstances. Note that lower monthly premiums often coincide with higher deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums.

Choosing the right metal tier will set you up for the best cost-to-coverage ratio for you. Regardless of which tier you select, ensure your preferred doctors are in-network before choosing a plan.

Best Health Insurance in Florida on a Budget

Health insurance costs include more than just your premium — copayments, co-insurance and deductibles all figure into what you’ll pay for a health plan. A high-deductible plan usually has lower premiums, which means more out-of-pocket costs. Age and family size can also impact the cost of health insurance in Florida.

Weighing the cost of annual premiums against the expected cost of care is an essential part of choosing an affordable health insurance plan. For example, if you don’t have many health care needs, paying out-of-pocket all year may be cheaper than paying for a health care plan with higher monthly premiums.

Best Cheap Health Insurance

Florida Health Care Plans
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek determined that Florida Health Care Plans is the best health insurance company in Florida for those on a budget. On average, Florida Health Care Plans customers won’t pay more than $6,299 in out-of-pocket costs — the maximum on covered services outside of premiums. This is a lower out-of-pocket maximum for a marketplace plan in Florida.

MoneyGeek also identified the following providers offering affordable health insurance plans in Florida:

  • Florida Blue (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida): Average maximum out-of-pocket: $6,881
  • AvMed: Average maximum out-of-pocket: $6,921

In addition to having a lower out-of-pocket maximum, Florida Blue has better customer service and more plan options than AvMed.

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WAYS TO SAVE ON HEALTH INSURANCE

If you’re looking to save on health insurance in Florida, consider options with lower monthly premiums, such as:

  • Catastrophic or Bronze plans
  • A high-deductible health plan (HDHP)
  • A Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan

However, the trade-off with lower premiums is often higher deductibles and out-of-pocket costs. Alternatively, you can apply for health insurance subsidies or a cost-sharing reduction if you meet the eligibility requirements.

Best Health Insurance in Florida for Customer Service

Health care customer service encompasses things like accessibility to agents, claim management and speed of reimbursement. Choosing an insurer with quality service means you can quickly get help if an issue arises and rest assured that your claims will be processed efficiently and fairly.

To calculate a company’s customer service score, MoneyGeek considered ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) in conjunction with cost value.

Best Health Insurance for Customer Service

Florida Health Care Plans
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek found that Florida Health Care Plans stands out as the top health insurance company in Florida for customer service. This company received a 4.5 out of 5 for customer service, indicating that Florida Health Care Plans gets fewer consumer complaints and higher satisfaction scores than competitors.

Other health insurance companies in Florida with excellent customer service scores include:

  • Florida Blue (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida): Customer service score of 4.5 out of 5
  • Bright Health: Customer service score of 5 out of 5

Although Bright Health and Florida Blue scored well for customer service in Florida, both companies charge higher costs that offset their overall value in this category.

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COMMON HEALTH INSURANCE COMPLAINTS

The most common complaints from health insurance policyholders fall under the following categories:

  • Poor claims management
  • Unsatisfactory settlement offers
  • Reimbursement delays
  • Unknown policy costs

Choosing a health insurance provider with a good customer service record is therefore crucial to your overall policy satisfaction and putting money back in your pocket.

Best Health Insurance Companies in Florida With HMOs

Some health insurance companies in Florida offer HMO plans. HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans are generally low-cost but restrict your coverage to a group of in-network providers. They also require referrals from your primary physician to see specialists for covered services (except emergencies).

You should consider HMOs if you don’t have any provider preferences or substantial health care needs. In Florida, the average cost of an HMO plan is $560 per month for a 40-year-old policyholder.

The Best Health Insurance With HMO Options

Florida Health Care Plans
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek selected Florida Health Care Plans as the best health insurance company offering HMO plans in Florida. It has the cheapest HMO plan and boasts above-average ratings on customer service and plan options. The average maximum out-of-pocket cost for an HMO plan with this company is $6,299.

If you want to peruse other Florida health insurance providers offering HMO plans, the following companies also scored well:

  • AvMed: Average maximum out-of-pocket: $6,921
  • Florida Blue HMO (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida): Average maximum out-of-pocket: $7,212

Each of these companies earned above-average scores for customer service and plan options, making them commendable runners-up for providers offering HMOs in Florida.

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HMO VS. PPO

Knowing the difference between a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) can help determine which health insurance plan best suits your needs.

An HMO usually has lower premiums, but it limits your coverage within a network of primary care providers and requires specialist referrals. On the other hand, a PPO tends to be more expensive but doesn’t require referrals and allows you to choose your preferred providers inside or outside of a network.

Best HSA-Eligible Health Insurance in Florida

One way to lower your insurance costs is by combining a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) with a health savings account (HSA). This allows you to pay your higher deductible and other qualified medical expenses using tax-exempt funds in your HSA.

Tax laws require HDHPs to set a minimum deductible. In 2022, the minimum deductible is $1,400 for an individual and $2,800 for a family. There’s also a cap on what you can contribute to your HSA. In 2022, that’s up to $3,650 for self-only coverage or $7,300 for family coverage.

Note that your HSA rolls over from one year to another. However, you cannot use HSA funds to pay your premiums.

Best Company with HSA-Eligible Plans

Oscar Insurance Company
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek found that Oscar Insurance Company of Florida is the best option for HSA-eligible health insurance plans in Florida. This company has the lowest average premium for an HSA-eligible plan at $370 per month for a 40-year-old policyholder.

Since Oscar Insurance Company of Florida only offers Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) plans, this company is a better choice for those with preferred providers that fall within their local network.

In addition to Oscar Insurance Company of Florida, MoneyGeek recommends the following health insurance companies in Florida with HSA-eligible plans:

  • Florida Health Care Plans: $397 per month
  • Bright Health: $400 per month

In addition to having a slightly less expensive average monthly premium, Florida Health Care Plans offers more plan options, whereas Bright Health offers only EPO plans.

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FSA VS. HSA ACCOUNT

A flexible spending account (FSA) and health savings account (HSA) both provide tax savings on medical expenses, but that’s where the similarities end. With an HSA, you control your account and your balance rolls over yearly. On the other hand, your employer owns your FSA and determines whether unused funds roll over or expire at the end of the year.

Best Health Insurance in Florida for Families

A family health insurance plan covers designated family members — often your spouse and children under age 26 — under one policy and cost structure. Family plans get more expensive as you add more people to the policy. Nevertheless, bundling the family under one plan is usually cheaper than insuring each member individually.

The Best Health Insurance Company for Families

Bright Health
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

According to MoneyGeek’s analysis, Bright Health is the best health insurance company in Florida for family health insurance plans, with premiums costing an average of $1,317 per month for a family of four.

Bright Health received perfect cost and customer service scores and an above-average score on plan options with four metal tiers.

Other Florida health insurance companies worth considering for family plan coverage include:

  • Oscar Insurance Company of Florida: $1,331 per month for a family of four
  • Health First Commercial Plans, Inc.: $1,389 per month for a family of four

These runner-up companies are similar in pricing but performed worse in customer satisfaction.

In addition to family size, the metal tier also affects the cost of health insurance. Use the chart below to compare average monthly premiums for individuals and families in Florida according to different tier types.

MetalLevel
Individual
Couple
Family of 3
Family of 4

Catastrophic

$299

$599

$770

$941

Bronze

$381

$762

$905

$1,048

Expanded Bronze

$408

$816

$1,051

$1,286

Silver

$520

$1,040

$1,259

$1,479

Gold

$578

$1,156

$1,399

$1,641

Platinum

$677

$1,353

$1,586

$1,818

Best Health Insurance in Florida for Seniors

Although most people become eligible for Medicare at age 65, private health insurance is still important for early retirees. Moreover, original Medicare covers just the basic medical expenses.

Shopping around for the best Medicare Advantage plans is ideal for older adults who want more robust benefits and to bundle their health and medical expenses under one policy. Note that premiums are usually higher for seniors because they require more medical attention.

Best Health Insurance for Seniors

Bright Health
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

MoneyGeek determined that Bright Health is the best health insurance company in Florida for seniors. On average, its premiums cost $875 for a 60-year-old policyholder. Bright Health earned high ratings on both cost and customer service. With four metal tiers, this company meets the average offering for plan options.

Other top-rated health insurance companies in Florida for seniors include:

  • Health First Commercial Plans, Inc.: $923 per month
  • Oscar Insurance Company of Florida: $884 per month

Although Oscar Insurance Company of Florida features a lower average premium, Health First Commercial Plans, Inc. outperformed the former in customer service and plan options.

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MARKETPLACE INSURANCE FOR EARLY RETIREES

Early retirees often face a gap in health insurance coverage, between when employer-sponsored coverage ends and Medicare begins. Fortunately, the loss of coverage through work is a qualifying event for special enrollment, whereby seniors can choose a marketplace plan to cover them until Medicare starts.

Subsidies to lower the cost of health insurance premiums are also available to seniors within a certain income bracket. In 2021, the American Rescue Plan expanded eligibility requirements and increased access to subsidies for seniors (and other demographics).

How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You

When it comes to health insurance, there’s no such thing as the perfect plan — the right option for you will depend on your unique health care needs. MoneyGeek outlines the steps that will help you in this process.

  • Understand your needs and preferences: Take stock of your health care needs and choose a plan that aligns with your preferences. You can do this by studying a health plan’s summary of benefits.
  • Search your preferred doctors: If you have chosen physicians, make sure they are available in your plan’s network before finalizing your purchase.
  • Review your costs: It's essential to assess your copays, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums and premiums to get the complete picture of expected expenses. Remember that a flat fee is often better than a co-insurance percentage.
  • Confirm prescriptions: Ensure your prescriptions are covered or affordable before purchasing a health plan. Some insurance companies cover the cost of select medications when you refill at their pharmacies.

Understanding all aspects of your health insurance plan in advance can help you avoid unexpected costs.

Health Marketplace Differences Between States

The Health Insurance Marketplace lets you shop for plans that meet your needs and budget. It was established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to provide health insurance coverage to uninsured Americans and to standardize the process.

Although some states have their own marketplaces, Florida uses the federal exchange for health insurance. Florida residents can browse the marketplace and choose a new plan during the open enrollment period, which usually extends from November 1 until January 15, with a December 15 deadline to begin coverage on January 1.

Outside of open enrollment, it’s possible to change your plan if you recently lost your health insurance due to a qualifying event, such as changing jobs or the death of a spouse.

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TIP: REMEMBER TO REVIEW YOUR PLAN EACH YEAR

Plan benefits and costs typically change every year. It’s a good idea to periodically review your health insurance options to ensure you still carry the best policy for your particular needs and budget.

Frequently Asked Questions About Health Insurance in Florida

Navigating the complexities of health insurance plans can be overwhelming. To ease this process, MoneyGeek collected your most commonly asked questions and provided answers below.

DISCLAIMER

MoneyGeek offers a summary of some of the most favorable health insurance providers in the state based on cost and customer service. However, not every provider will be available in every county or municipality. Visit your state’s marketplace to discover which health insurance providers are available to you.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, lender or other entity.

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