Best Cheap Health Insurance in Florida 2020
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Florida
If you’re looking for your best health insurance plan in the state of Florida, you can find many affordable options on the Florida health insurance marketplace.
In 2020, the average cost of health insurance is $554 per month for a 40-year-old. This is a decrease of 4% from 2018 when the monthly cost was $575.
Blue Cross Blue Shield offers the best rates in the majority of the Florida and has offerings in every county. A plan that shoppers can begin looking at is the BlueOptions Silver 1410, a Silver plan that has the lowest premiums in a quarter of Florida counties.
Cheapest health insurance by metal tier
We compared the health insurance plans available on the Florida marketplace and identified the cheapest policy in each metal tier to help you find the best option for your chosen level of coverage.
The insurers and health plans you can choose from will vary depending on the county you live in, and not all of those listed below are available in every county. We recommend using these as a starting point when assessing the benefits and out-of-pocket costs you can expect from a health plan, as compared to monthly premiums.
| Metal tier | Cheapest plan | Deductible | Maximum out-of-pocket | Monthly cost for a 40-year-old |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | AdventHealth GYM ACCESS Catastrophic HMO 1748 | $8,150 | $8,150 | $198 |
| Bronze | Gym Access IND Bronze HMO 1340 | $8,150 | $8,150 | $300 |
| Expanded Bronze | Oscar Classic Bronze | $5,500 | $8,150 | $313 |
| Silver | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $7,000 | $8,150 | $405 |
| Gold | Gym Access IND Gold HMO H.S.A 9010 | $1,500 | $4,000 | $446 |
| Platinum | BlueSelect Platinum 1451 | $1,000 | $3,500 | $549 |
Aside from the level of coverage you choose, one of the most significant factors in determining health insurance rates is the age of each person insured.
Finding your best health insurance plans in Florida
Remember, premiums are not the only cost component when it comes to your health care. Out-of-pocket costs in the form of deductibles, copays and coinsurance are just as important to compare when you shop.
The best cheap health insurance plan for you and your family will depend on your income level and expected health care needs.
Households with higher expected medical costs should opt for plans with higher cost-sharing benefits, while those who expect to be relatively healthy or to need little to no routine care should look toward cheaper plans.
Average consumers should start by browsing Silver plans
Unless you’re extremely healthy or know you’ll have medical expenses, we advise that you begin your shopping process by looking at the Silver metal tiered health insurance plans. These are the plans that the exchange offerings are generally benchmarked off of, and they occupy a good middle ground between premiums you are guaranteed to pay and cost-sharing responsibilities that you will incur if you have any medical expenses.
In such a case, these plans can actually offer more benefits than higher-priced Gold and Platinum plans but at a much lower premium.
Younger and healthier households can look to Bronze and Catastrophic plans
Bronze and Catastrophic plans will have the lowest premiums available, but come at the cost of extremely high deductibles. Many of the plans in this metal tier will have their cost sharing near the maximum limits, meaning that you will first need to meet thousands of dollars of fees before the health plans benefits really start kicking in.
These types of health insurance policies really only make sense if you want coverage for extremely costly emergencies and have little to no need for routine care. Catastrophic plans are only available for those individuals under the age of 30.
Health insurance rate changes in Florida
Health insurance rates, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums are set yearly by health insurance companies. These plans are then sent to the federal exchange to be approved for the following plan year.
In Florida, the largest increase in health insurance costs was in the lowest metal tier plan — Catastrophic — which has increased by nearly 12% or $28 since the 2018 plan year.
Conversely, Silver plans have decreased during the same time period — a fall of 2.5%.
| Metal tier | 2018 Premium | 2020 Premium | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $241 | $269 | 11.81% |
| Bronze | $388 | $401 | 3.42% |
| Expanded Bronze | $416 | $434 | 4.36% |
| Silver | $598 | $584 | -2.42% |
| Gold | $646 | $624 | -3.36% |
| Platinum | $850 | $825 | -2.88% |
Short-term health insurance in Florida
Florida follows the same regulations set by federal guidelines for short-term health insurance. This allows for the plans to provide coverage for up to 12 months and be renewable for up to 36 months. Furthermore, short-term plans do not need to cover the essential benefits that all marketplace Obamacare plans must cover.
You may want to consider purchasing short-term health insurance if you lose employer-sponsored coverage or miss open enrollment for an ACA marketplace policy. However, it is important to note that short-term plans will require medical underwriting and typically do not provide coverage for preexisting conditions.
Find Cheap Health Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Best cheap health insurance companies in Florida
There are currently 9 health insurance providers offering plans on the Florida marketplace. This is an increase from the 6 providers that were available during the previous plan year.
- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
- Celtic Insurance Company
- Health Options, Inc.
- Health First Commercial Plans, Inc.
- Florida Health Care Plan, Inc.
- Oscar Insurance Company of Florida
- Molina Healthcare of Florida, Inc
- Bright Health Insurance Company of Florida
- Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company
Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the only health insurance company available in every county in Florida, and in some counties, including Calhoun, it will be the only insurer available.
Cheapest health insurance plan by county
As we mentioned above, Silver plans are where we advise the average consumer to begin their shopping process. To help you, we’ve listed the cheapest Silver health plan for each Florida county, as well as sample prices for different sized families.
These premium estimates are unsubsidized and for a single individual. Depending on your income, you will likely see even lower prices once you account for the tax credits.
| County | Cheapest Plan | Age 40 | Couple, Age 40 | Couple, Age 40 + Child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alachua | myBlue Silver 2017 | $463 | $926 | $1,203 |
| Baker | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $479 | $959 | $1,246 |
| Bay | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $413 | $826 | $1,073 |
| Bradford | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $548 | $1,097 | $1,425 |
| Brevard | Ambetter Balanced Care 12 (2020) | $427 | $854 | $1,110 |
| Broward | Oscar Saver Silver | $424 | $847 | $1,101 |
| Calhoun | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $612 | $1,224 | $1,590 |
| Charlotte | Ambetter Balanced Care 12 (2020) | $423 | $847 | $1,100 |
| Citrus | myBlue Silver 2017 | $436 | $872 | $1,133 |
| Clay | Silver 1 | $441 | $882 | $1,146 |
| Collier | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $449 | $897 | $1,166 |
| Columbia | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $576 | $1,152 | $1,497 |
| Desoto | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $575 | $1,151 | $1,495 |
| Dixie | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $601 | $1,202 | $1,562 |
| Duval | Silver 1 | $440 | $880 | $1,144 |
| Escambia | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $426 | $852 | $1,107 |
| Flagler | Oscar Saver Silver | $472 | $944 | $1,226 |
| Franklin | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $639 | $1,279 | $1,662 |
| Gadsden | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $703 | $1,407 | $1,828 |
| Gilchrist | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $584 | $1,168 | $1,518 |
| Glades | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $774 | $1,548 | $2,011 |
| Gulf | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $405 | $809 | $1,052 |
| Hamilton | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $705 | $1,410 | $1,832 |
| Hardee | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $849 | $1,697 | $2,205 |
| Hendry | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $568 | $1,136 | $1,476 |
| Hernando | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $429 | $857 | $1,114 |
| Highlands | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $464 | $927 | $1,205 |
| Hillsborough | Silver 1 | $432 | $865 | $1,124 |
| Holmes | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $619 | $1,239 | $1,610 |
| Indian River | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $430 | $861 | $1,118 |
| Jackson | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $622 | $1,244 | $1,616 |
| Jefferson | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $730 | $1,460 | $1,897 |
| Lafayette | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $636 | $1,272 | $1,653 |
| Lake | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $431 | $863 | $1,121 |
| Lee | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $608 | $1,216 | $1,580 |
| Leon | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $634 | $1,269 | $1,649 |
| Levy | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $552 | $1,104 | $1,435 |
| Liberty | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $659 | $1,319 | $1,713 |
| Madison | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $624 | $1,247 | $1,621 |
| Manatee | Ambetter Balanced Care 12 (2020) | $430 | $860 | $1,117 |
| Marion | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $423 | $846 | $1,099 |
| Martin | myBlue Silver 2017 | $442 | $885 | $1,150 |
| Miami-Dade | Oscar Saver Silver | $445 | $889 | $1,155 |
| Monroe | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $843 | $1,686 | $2,190 |
| Nassau | myBlue Silver 2010 | $572 | $1,145 | $1,487 |
| Okaloosa | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $436 | $872 | $1,133 |
| Okeechobee | Ambetter Balanced Care 12 (2020) | $433 | $866 | $1,126 |
| Orange | Silver 1 | $465 | $930 | $1,208 |
| Osceola | Silver 1 | $451 | $901 | $1,171 |
| Palm Beach | Silver 1 | $436 | $873 | $1,134 |
| Pasco | Silver 1 | $452 | $904 | $1,174 |
| Pinellas | Silver 1 | $457 | $913 | $1,187 |
| Polk | Ambetter Balanced Care 12 (2020) | $466 | $933 | $1,212 |
| Putnam | Ambetter Balanced Care 12 (2020) | $452 | $903 | $1,174 |
| Saint Johns | IND Silver HMO BC 7741 | $419 | $839 | $1,090 |
| Saint Lucie | myBlue Silver 2017 | $458 | $916 | $1,190 |
| Santa Rosa | Silver 1 | $442 | $883 | $1,147 |
| Sarasota | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $431 | $863 | $1,121 |
| Seminole | Silver 1 | $452 | $904 | $1,175 |
| Sumter | BlueSelect Silver 1443 | $434 | $869 | $1,129 |
| Suwannee | BlueCare Silver 1477 | $565 | $1,130 | $1,468 |
| Taylor | BlueCare Silver 1766S | $613 | $1,226 | $1,593 |
| Union | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $712 | $1,423 | $1,849 |
| Volusia | Silver 1 | $455 | $909 | $1,181 |
| Wakulla | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $731 | $1,462 | $1,899 |
| Walton | Ambetter Balanced Care 12 (2020) | $439 | $878 | $1,141 |
| Washington | BlueOptions Silver 1410 | $627 | $1,254 | $1,629 |
Average cost of health insurance by family size in Florida
The total cost of a health insurance policy will take into account the age of each person insured. For instance, the average premium for a Silver health plan in Florida is $576 for a 40-year-old, while children age 14 and younger cost $345 for coverage.
So a family of four would have $345 cheaper premiums in total than a family of five, on average, assuming two adults are on the policy. But they would pay $690 more per month for health insurance than a couple with no children.
| Family Size | Average monthly cost of health plan |
|---|---|
| Individual + Child | $921 |
| Couple Age 40 | $1,152 |
| Family of three (Adult couple and a child) | $1,497 |
| Family of four (Adult couple and two children) | $1,841 |
| Family of five (Adult couple and three children) | $2,186 |
Methodology
Health insurance premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for Florida were compiled through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) government website. ValuePenguin used the Public Use Files (PUF) to calculate average premiums by metal tier, county and family size.
Sterling Price is a research analyst at ValuePenguin specializing in health and life insurance. He graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelors degree in Finance and Accounting and has previous experience as a licensed life insurance representative.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.