Report: Florida Medical Insurance Rates Lowest in America

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — Florida medical insurance rates for consumers are some of the lowest in the country, according to a report published late last month.

The JAMA Health Forum research letter found that “mean county-level prices were lowest in the central U.S. and Florida.” The study used rates provided by Humana across seven different procedures and covers as many as 1 million people with commercial insurance. 

Citrus, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties had the lowest rates of any of Florida’s counties – particularly for office visits and medical procedures, which ranged between $75 and $80. 

Conversely, Hillsborough County has the highest rate for an office visit in Tampa Bay with rates between $85 and $89. The same services in other states across the country range from $90 all the way up to $500, Axios reported.

While the findings showed that Florida had the lowest rates, some of the highest prices are in neighboring southeastern states. Residents in upper-midwest states also had higher rates. 

Roughly half of Floridians have medical insurance through private insurers, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). Notably, Florida has the second-lowest rate of residents who are insured through their employer – at a rate of approximately 40 percent – and the highest rate (10.9 percent) of those covered by a policy purchased directly through an insurance provider.

Approximately 11 percent of Floridians are uninsured, fifth highest in the U.S.

Florida led the nation last year with 3.2 million residents signing up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. That figure is up 500,000 from the year prior, WLRN reports.

For the upcoming 2024 coverage year, Obamacare enrollees will be capped at spending no more than $9,450 in one year.