CS for SB 7044 - Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange

• Creates the Florida Health Insurance Affordability Exchange Program (FHIX) in the Agency for Health Care Administration to assist low-income, uninsured Floridians in purchasing health benefits coverage through a centralized marketplace.

• Establishes three-phase implementation beginning July 1, 2015, with Phase One covering newly eligible Medicaid individuals, Phase Two expanding coverage starting January 1, 2016, and Phase Three transitioning Florida Healthy Kids program enrollees by July 1, 2016.

• Sets monthly premium amounts ranging from $3 to $25 based on modified adjusted gross income levels, with cumulative annual cost-sharing capped at 5 percent of annual income and enrollees required to maintain employment or educational participation of 20-30 hours weekly.

• Requires participants to maintain health savings or health reimbursement accounts where unused premium credits accumulate and can be carried forward for up to 5 years if enrollment status becomes inactive due to non-payment.

• Modifies the Florida Health Choices Program to serve as the FHIX marketplace administrator and limits the Medically Needy Medicaid program to children under age 21 and pregnant women effective October 1, 2015, expiring October 1, 2019.