No Change To ACA Premiums In 2020 In Florida

Aug. 23--State insurance regulators released their annual list of approved health insurance plans for 2020 on Friday, projecting no change to the average cost of premiums.

That's a reprieve after several years of premiums hikes, which increased by an average of 5% this year and by 45% in 2018.

Nine insurance companies are offering individual plans on and off the Obamacare marketplace next year. This year, there were seven. The majority have reduced their premiums compared to what they offered this year.

The new comer in the exchange next year is Bright Health Insurance, which will be available in several counties, including Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole.

Also, Cigna, which only offered off-marketplace plans this year, has joined the mix for next year, offering Obamacare plans in Collier and Palm Beach counties.

One company, AvMed, is offering off-the-marketplace plans and only in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

Like previous years, Florida Blue is the only insurance company to offer plans in all 67 counties.

Although the rates are locked at the state level, they still have to be finalized by the Department of Health & Human Services and could change in the coming months, state insurance regulators say.

Here's a list of 2019 marketplace insurers by county:

Lake: Florida Blue, Bright Health, Celtic (Ambetter), Health Options, Oscar

Orange: Florida Blue, Bright Health, Celtic (Ambetter), Health Options, Molina, Oscar

Osceola: Florida Blue, Bright Health, Celtic (Ambetter), Health Options, Molina, Oscar

Seminole: Florida Blue, Bright Health, Celtic (Ambetter), Florida Health Care Plan, Health First Commercial Plans, Health Options, Molina, Oscar

nmiller@orlandosentinel.com

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