Health Insurance in Florida
Our help costs you nothing. We are paid by the carrier, not by you, and the plan price is the same whether you enroll with us or on your own — so the only thing we add is knowing which plan actually fits.
The enrollment window is the whole game
Health insurance is not like auto or home insurance: you cannot buy it whenever you want. There are two doors, and if you miss both you generally wait a year.
Open Enrollment
The annual window when anyone can enroll or switch plans, running from 1 November to 15 January in Florida. Enroll by 15 December and coverage starts 1 January; enroll after that and it starts 1 February. This is the one date worth putting in your calendar.
Special Enrollment Period
Certain life events open a 60-day window outside that period. The common ones:
- Losing coverage you had — a job ends, you age off a parent's plan, Medicaid ends
- Moving to a new ZIP code or county
- Getting married, having a baby, or adopting
- A change in income that changes what you qualify for
- Becoming a citizen or gaining lawful presence
Two things people get wrong here: the 60 days runs from the event, not from when you noticed, and losing coverage qualifies but voluntarily dropping it does not. If something on that list happened, call us before the window closes.
Subsidies, and why $0 plans exist
Marketplace plans reduce your monthly premium through a Premium Tax Credit based on your household size and your expected income for the year. In much of Florida that credit is large enough that some plans land at a $0 monthly premium — which is real, not a gimmick, and is why enrolling is worth doing even on a tight budget.
There is a second, less known subsidy: cost-sharing reductions. If your income falls in the right range and you choose a Silver plan specifically, your deductible and copays drop as well. Picking Bronze because the premium looks lower can cost more overall for exactly this reason — it is the single most common mistake we correct.
The metal tiers, plainly
- Bronze — lowest premium, highest deductible. Fine if you rarely see a doctor and want protection from a catastrophe.
- Silver — the one that unlocks cost-sharing reductions. For most subsidised households this is the right answer.
- Gold — higher premium, much lower out-of-pocket. Worth it if you have ongoing care or regular prescriptions.
Report your income honestly, and update it
The credit is calculated on an estimate of this year's income and reconciled on your tax return. Estimate too low and you may repay part of it; estimate too high and you overpay all year. If your income changes mid-year, tell us — updating it takes minutes and prevents a surprise in April.
Before you enroll, check that your doctor and your prescriptions are in the plan's network and formulary. We do that check with you rather than after.
Free, bilingual, and we are here in February too
Enrollment season brings a lot of people who sign you up and disappear. We are a local agency: if a claim is denied, a card never arrives or a doctor turns out to be out of network, you have somewhere to call that already knows your file.
Health insurance in Florida, answered
How much does your help cost?
Nothing. Licensed agents are paid by the insurance carrier, and the price of a plan is set by the carrier and the marketplace — it is identical whether you enroll through us, on the federal marketplace yourself, or through anyone else. There is no version of this where using an agent makes your plan more expensive.
Can I get a plan if I am self-employed or paid in cash?
Yes. Being self-employed is one of the most common reasons people are on a marketplace plan in the first place. You will need to estimate your annual income for the subsidy calculation, and we can help you do that from what you actually expect to earn. Not having a W-2 is not an obstacle.
Do I qualify if I am not a US citizen?
Lawfully present immigrants qualify for marketplace plans, and many qualify for subsidies. That includes permanent residents, people with work permits, asylees, refugees, TPS holders and several other statuses. What matters is lawful presence, not citizenship. Bring your document and we will tell you where you stand.
I missed Open Enrollment. Is there anything I can do?
Possibly. If you have had a qualifying life event in the last 60 days — lost coverage, moved, married, had a baby, income changed — a Special Enrollment Period is open to you. Outside of that, Medicaid and Florida KidCare accept applications year round, and we can check whether your household qualifies. Send us your details and we will look.
Is Bronze not always the cheapest choice?
Not usually, no. Bronze has the lowest monthly premium but the highest deductible, and if your income qualifies you for cost-sharing reductions those only apply to Silver plans. In that situation a Silver plan often costs a little more per month and far less the moment you actually use it. We compare the total, not the premium.
What happens if my income changes during the year?
Tell us and we update it. The subsidy is based on your estimated annual income and is reconciled when you file taxes, so an estimate that drifted means either repaying part of the credit or having overpaid all year. Updating takes a few minutes and it is far better done in July than discovered in April.
Let us find your plan
Free guidance, in English or Spanish. We check your subsidy, your doctors and your prescriptions before you enroll.