South Florida has cautious eye on new bill

With a high proportion of South Floridians on Obamacare, interest in the just-unveiled Senate health care bill is high. Meanwhile in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, the brinkmanship had only just begun. In the next week, the four Republican holdouts, at least, are expected to chime in with their priorities.

The Senate's health insurance bill would reduce coverage subsidies for older and lower income enrollees, most of them taking effect in 2019. Here are some questions and answers about the Senate’s latest bill.

How would the Senate health insurance bill affect Floridians who buy through the federal exchange?

Most health officials contacted Thursday by the Sun Sentinel declined to answer that question, saying they needed more time to study the bill. Experts say in general that the Senate bill, like the House bill passed in May, will make plans more expensive for older and lower-income consumers.

The Senate bill extends cost-sharing payments to insurance companies through 2018, removing a major concern of insurers, said Mark Cherry, principal analyst with health care research and data provider Decision Resources Group. Insurers now signing up to offer 2018 plans should remain, he said.

Changes to subsidies wouldn’t take effect until 2019. After that, people in their 20s could see higher tax subsidies and lower premiums if they buy high-deductible plans.

Because Florida never expanded Medicaid during the Obama years, the state would not be affected by the Senate plan to eliminate funding for the expansion between 2020 and 2023 in the 32 states that did, said Jaime Caldwell, president of the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association.

Also, the plan would make subsidies available for people in non-expansion states, including Florida, who currently make too little money to qualify for Obamacare subsidies but too much to qualify for regular Medicaid, Caldwell said.

How many Florida residents bought Affordable Care Act insurance on the federal exchange for 2017?

1.76 million, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Nationwide, 12.2 million bought coverage through federal or state exchanges.

How many enrollees live in Broward, Palm Beach or Miami-Dade counties?

In the tricounty region, 770,319 bought ACA coverage.

Do a larger share of South Florida residents rely on Obamacare compared to the state and nation?

Yes. According to federal data, 13 percent of South Florida residents are on an ACA plan this year compared to 7 percent in the rest of the state.

What percentage get subsidies to help pay for their coverage?

91.5 percent of South Florida ACA enrollees receive tax credits, compared to 90.1 percent statewide and 84 percent nationally.

How much does the government help them?

The average Florida enrollee who received tax credits this year saw monthly premiums averaging $444 reduced to $84. In South Florida, 77 percent of enrollees also received extra help for co-payments and deductibles.