United’s Cover Florida plan wins approval
Jan 9, 2009
Florida Times-Union--January 8, 2009
By Jeremy Cox
State regulators late Wednesday OK’d United Healthcare’s individual health-insurance plan for Cover Florida.
The state-sponsored insurance program debuted Monday with six private insurers offering 25 stripped-down, low-cost plans.
United was one of a pair of insurers offering statewide plans, but there was a problem with that: While its group plan had been approved, its plan for individuals had not. Consumers weren’t told that, leading to confusion.
With Wednesday’s action, people can sign up for United’s plan, but neither it nor the group plan will go into effect until March 1.
That’s because the company needed time to “make sure that Floridians who are relying on United Healthcare’s plans receive the support and service they deserve,” it said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Cover Florida’s other statewide insurer, is enrolling beneficiaries immediately.