Florida Medicaid provides health insurance to low-income individuals throughout the state. Once approved for Medicaid, you have 30 days to select a plan or you will automatically be placed in a plan. Medicaid recipients are offered customized insurance coverage through a variety of different plans. Choosing the right plan can be challenging since you cannot anticipate the type of coverage you will need in the future. Fortunately, Medicaid allows you to easily enroll or opt out of an HMO plan during the open enrollment period. After that period, you will need to speak with a caseworker in order to disenroll or change plans.
Instructions
1. Review each plan. The Florida Medicaid Reform Choice Counseling website provides a comparison chart for all plans offered through Medicaid. The site also features a list and brief descriptions of all benefits covered. You can click on the benefit you want to determine which plan covers it. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services also provides information about each HMO plan. If you would like to speak to a counselor to for specific plan information, call the helpline at 866-454-3959.
2. Check to make sure you are in the open-enrollment period. You have 90 days to decide if you want to remain in a certain Medicaid plan. As long as you are within the open-enrollment dates, you are free to switch plans as you please or get out of the program. If the period has expired, you will be required to remain in the plan unless the state approves your disenrollment request. A caseworker will go over with you whether or not you have good cause to disenroll.
3. Call to switch your plan. You will need to provide your personal information such as the last four digits of your Social Security number, name and date of birth. You will also need to supply your Medicaid ID or Gold Card number to access your account. The representative will remove you from your current HMO and place you in the plan of your choice. She will likely ask your primary physician name at the time of enrollment. Visit the Florida Medicaid Reform website to enroll online or call the Florida Medicaid Enrollment/Disenrollment hotline at 888-367-6554.
4. Write down the confirmation number. Once your change is submitted, it will be processed immediately. Until the plan change takes effect, you may be placed on straight Medicaid.
Tags: Florida Medicaid, will need, each plan, Florida Medicaid Reform, have days, Medicaid Reform
