Florida is moving forward with a plan that will lead to health-insurance changes for thousands of state employees now that an appeals court broke a legal logjam.

The state Department of Management Services said Friday that UnitedHealthcare of Florida signed a contract to provide HMO services in 18 counties.

That announcement came after the 1st District Court of Appeal rejected parts of a legal challenge filed by United and declined to issue a stay. The other 49 counties will be divided among five HMOs that reached agreements with the state last week.

While Texas Gov. Rick Perry is leading the field of Republican presidential hopefuls in most national polls, GOP voters in New Hampshire -- home of the first primary -- appear to be solidly behind former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Romney led three polls, released this week, by a wide margin -- though two of the polls showed his chief rival, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, in second place while the other had U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas as the runner-up.