Amid widespread health care reform in Florida and a heated national health care debate, both Republicans and Democrats worry about potential changes to the Florida health care system. Florida Democrats, who are in favor of health care reform efforts, worry that an up-and-coming GOP Senate candidate may pose a serious threat to the quality of the Florida health care system.
Republican Marco Rubio has, until now, not appeared to pose a serious threat to health care reform in Florida. However, as the Republican candidate continues to build support for his nomination to the GOP Senate seat, Democrats are growing increasingly concerned about what Rubio might do if elected to office. Most importantly, Democrats worry that Rubio will repeal Florida health reforms if he is elected.
That’s no wonder; Rubio has said himself that he plans to repeal Florida health insurance reforms if he wins the Senate seat. That repeal, he said, could mean decreasing health costs for Florida residents and improving health care accessibility for all. The Democrats, however, don’t see it the same way, and are calling Rubio “nothing more than a typical politician who is in the hands of the health industry,” said Eric Jotkoff, Florida Democratic Party spokesman.
According to Jotkoff and a press release issued by the Florida Democratic party, if Rubio does indeed have an alliance with Florida insurance companies, as the Democrats suspect, Florida residents will have to pay more for their healthcare than ever before. Moreover, such an alliance would increase the federal budget, reduce health care access, and create financial difficulties for many Florida residents participating in the Medicare program.
“By pledging today to repeal health insurance reforms Marco Rubio not only promised to add to the federal budget deficit and deny Florida’s families access to health care, but Rubio’s repeal would also force senior citizens to continue paying for the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs out of their pockets by re-opening the Medicare Part D donut hole,” said the Florida Democratic Party in a press release issued earlier this month. Rubio’s repeal also means that he wants allow insurance companies to deny coverage when you get sick because of a pre-existing condition.”
As health care costs continue to increase, including the costs of health insurance plans, one of the best things that Florida residents can do to help protect their health and their wallets is to enroll in a health insurance plan now to lock in the monthly premium rates before they increase.
There are many different types of health plans and health providers. In order to find the right health plan for their specific needs, lifestyles, and budgets, Florida residents should consult with a qualified health insurance plan broker who can help compare health insurance plan offerings and rates to find the best one for each individual applicant. For example, Florida residents may be able to receive health insurance plans through their employers in addition to health insurance plans that they qualify for on their own. Even if a Florida resident is able to get a health insurance plan through an employer, he or she may be able to get a better rate on a plan he or she gets independently of the employer.
One of the most popular health options is a Health Savings Account plan, which allows participants to save money into a high-interest yielding savings account that they can earmark to pay for health insurance expenses. With a Health Savings Account, participants will also receive a tax deduction for the funds they deposit into their Health Savings Account and use on qualifying medical expenses. Also, Health Savings Account options come with high deductible health plans that have low monthly premiums, significantly reducing participants’ monthly health care expenses.
Whenever enrolling in a new health ins. or changing health ins., it is important for individuals to speak with an experienced health insurance advisor to ensure that they have all the information they need to make a wise financial an healthcare decision for their specific needs, budgets, and lifestyles.
