Florida Health Choices Moving Forward to Launch Small Business Health Insurance Marketplace

(Tallahassee)–Florida Health Choices, a program created to expand opportunities for Floridians to purchase affordable health insurance and health services while preserving the benefits of employer–sponsored insurance, is gearing up to launch Florida’s small business health insurance marketplace.

Florida Health Choices seeks to increase access to affordable, quality health care for Floridians by creating a competitive market for purchasing health insurance and health services. The program will provide employers and consumers with a single point of access to compare multiple insurance products, and enable them to enroll in the product that best meets their needs.

The program recently released an Invitation to Negotiate for proposals from companies that can assist the organization in establishing a statewide customer contact center in Florida and creating a customized web-based choice portal that allows easy side-by-side comparison of insurance options.  When launched, the marketplace will support employers and their employees and provide important links to qualified agents, insurers and other benefit providers.  “As the marketplace continues to move closer to becoming a reality, I am confident that Florida Health Options will be well positioned to be a valuable resource for Florida businesses,” said Aaron Bean, the organization’s board chairman.

Seven comprehensive proposals are under consideration from the following companies:

ACS Health Administration, Inc.
Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Ceridian Exchange Services, LLC
Extend Insurance Services, LLC
First Service Administrators, Inc.
HealthPlan Services, Inc.
Trust Management Group d.b.a. Select Source

Two additional proposals offer to form a project management office and assist the program on a consulting basis with delivery of a successful, on-time implementation.  Companies submitting proposals for project management services are:

KPMG, LLP
North Highland

The proposals received are exempt from public records until Florida Health Choices completes the evaluation process and releases a notice of its decision.  A final decision is anticipated mid-October.