Congresswoman Lois Frankel touted the affordable health care rates and wide-range of choices that will be offered to Floridians when enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace launches on Tuesday October 1, following today’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“This is the beginning of a new era of affordable health care for Florida families and consumers,” Frankel said. “With the new Health Insurance Marketplace, Florida consumers will now have a choice between many different plans for health care coverage that are affordable and provide guaranteed benefits.”

Individual consumers in Florida will have an average of 102 health plan choices, the most options nationally behind only Arizona. The rates announced for the Health Insurance Marketplace in Florida are comparable to the national average for plans being offered in the Marketplace.

“This announcement shows that competition in the Health Insurance Marketplace and tax credits will help keep costs down and give Floridians many choices,” Frankel said.

Plans in the Marketplace will be categorized as either “gold,” “silver,” or “bronze.” In the Fort Lauderdale-Pompano metro area in Broward County and West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach metro area in Palm Beach County, consumers will be able to choose from among 132 qualified health plans—and all must cover individuals with pre-existing conditions and provide free preventive care.

In the Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Beach metro area, a 27-year old who makes $25,000 per year will pay $74 per month for the lowest cost bronze plan and $145 per month for the second lowest cost silver plan, taking into account tax credits. For a family of four in the Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano Beach metro area with an income of $50,000 per year, the lowest bronze plan would cost only $24 per month.

In the West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach metro area, a 27-year old who makes $25,000 per year will pay $72 per month for the lowest cost bronze plan and $145 per month for the second lowest cost silver plan, taking into account tax credits. For a family of four in West Palm Beach-Boca Raton-Delray Beach, FL with an income of $50,000 per year, the lowest bronze plan would cost only $18 per month.

By having affordable health care coverage, uninsured Floridians will be spared potential financial ruin. In 2012, the average cost nationally for a day in the hospital was $12,537, according to the International Federation of Health Plans.

Enrollment begins for Florida families, consumers and small businesses on October 1 at www.healthcare.gov or www.cuidadodesalud.gov and will continue through March 31. 

Frankel’s office stands ready to assist constituents who have questions about the Affordable Care Act and enrolling in the Health Insurance Marketplace.

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