Touting his Cover Florida health program during his debate with Marco Rubio on "Fox News Sunday," Gov. Charlie Crist boldly declared:
"We negotiated with the private sector. We reduced the cost to those who were uninsured. We were able to provide access. And, the average cost for health insurance in Florida went from about $600 a month for an individual to about $150 a month. No tax dollars involved. No government mandates.
"I think Washington could learn a lot from Florida."
While Crist suggested that his plan is a cost-effective, free-market alternative to the controversial government mandates enacted in Washington this month, the reality is much different.
Since it was launched in 2008, Cover Florida has signed up just 5,426 Floridians -- barely making a dent in the state's 4 million uninsured. Far from being a "national model," Crist's program appears to be more spin than medicine.
Rubio, along with "Fox News Sunday" moderator Chris Wallace, challenged the governor's claims.
"MarcoRubio considers Gov. Crist's efforts on this front to have been little more than cosmetic solutions," said Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos.
Hampered by a combination of bare-bones coverage at questionable cost, as well as little or no advertising, Cover Florida is failing to attract participants, even as more Floridians go without health insurance every month.
Families USA, a Washington-based consumer advocacy organization, estimates that some 556,000 more Floridians will have lost their health coverage between January 2008 and December 2010.
Even in such straits, premiums as low as $50 a month apparently have little appeal when deductibles are as high as $5,000.
Unlike Obamacare and Romneycare in Massachusetts, which mandate enrollment, Cover Florida's stripped-down version relies on voluntary participation. But, neither the public nor the providers seem enthusiastic.
Little wonder. A recent survey by eHealthInsurance of private heath-care providers found that the most expensive plan under the state's program isn't that much less costly than the national average.
Yet, Crist's campaign Web site disingenuously brags: "I signed into law a nationally recognized, market-based health-care program to provide low-cost health insurance to nearly 4 million uninsured Floridians."
Cover Florida won legislative approval as a hybrid of proposals by Crist and Rubio. Rubio, then speaker of the House, advocated for a nonprofit company, Florida Health Choices Corp., to act as a human-resources department for small businesses, offering a smorgasbord of health services.
That concept was eventually merged with Crist's Cover Florida plan.
"Unfortunately, Charlie Crist took almost a year to appoint the Florida Health Choices governing board, which slowed its ability to get off the ground," Burgos said.
Cover Florida allows individuals who have been without coverage for at least six months to pick from plans offered by six insurance companies. Each provider was chosen by the state through a competitive bidding process, and each offers at least two options one with catastrophic and hospital coverage and another plan that can provide less coverage.
Bruce Rueben, president of the Florida Hospital Association, said Cover Florida "is not a substitute for health-care reform, but, hey, one (covered participant) is better than none."
Tom Arnold, secretary of the state Agency for Health Care Administration, remains optimistic about the program's growth potential.
"While (5,400 enrollees) at the end of 2009 may not be all of the uninsured in Florida today, it is significant to those who have taken advantage of this unique opportunity to obtain health coverage. We expect enrollment to continue increasing as Floridians become aware of its availability."
Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or (772) 801-5341.
