Hillsborough expanded its free health care plan — but few are biting

In December, Hillsborough County commissioners unanimously voted to develop the county’s health care plan, a security internet for the weak set of residents who don’t qualify for Medicare or Medicaid but make too little to afford market insurance coverage.

More than seven months later, although, this system stays lower than half-full.

The enlargement raised the earnings cap for this system from 138% of the federal poverty degree to 175%, that means single folks making about $1,980 or much less a month would qualify. And it added dental protection, one other signal of this system’s strong fiscal rebound after a disaster within the first decade of the 2000s. It was, Commissioner Harry Cohen mentioned on the time, “a great holiday gift to our entire community.”

It appears, although, that many Hillsborough residents who may qualify by no means unwrapped that reward. The program of late has a month-to-month common of about 15,000 open spots, a county spokesperson mentioned. Philip Conti, who oversees the plan for Hillsborough County Health Care Services, mentioned month-to-month enrollment fluctuates however has recently hovered round 13,000, about 1,000 folks fewer than final 12 months’s common.

“We really are trying to make this accessible to everyone,” Conti mentioned. “We want more people to take advantage of it. And when we do public events or things of that nature, we do hear from people that, ‘Oh, I didn’t know about this.’ And mind you, this has been around for almost 30 years.”

The program, which started in 1991, presents an array of no-cost medical protection: major and specialty care, dental and pharmaceutical companies, inpatient hospitalization. It’s meant each to assist poor folks get primary and preventative care, and as a security internet for individuals who might in any other case be buried beneath mountainous debt after a medical emergency. Conti talked about a recent Tampa Bay Times story a few Pasco County man who confronted $170,000 in payments after an ankle damage.

“If he was in Hillsborough County, that wouldn’t have happened,” Conti mentioned. “We would’ve covered all of it.”

County Commissioner Gwen Myers was stunned to listen to that the enlargement hadn’t caught on with residents. Her district contains many minority residents who are financially weak — particularly amid skyrocketing housing prices — and who may benefit from the plan. She mentioned she took the information as a private problem to unfold the phrase by way of church buildings and group organizations.

“I’m going to make sure that everyone knows we have this health care program,” she mentioned. “We’re going to change that within a month.”

Florida is one of 12 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, exacerbating what health consultants name the “coverage gap” of people that make little cash however don’t qualify for Medicaid. Researchers have discovered that the hole disproportionately hurts people of color.

That’s mirrored in Hillsborough County, the place almost 30% of those that have been on the plan this 12 months are Black, a portion larger than the county inhabitants as an entire. The plan’s demographics additionally skew older, although, as simply 1 in 5 contributors are youthful than 35. And regardless of the earnings cap change — which adopted an identical enlargement in 2019 — fewer than 15% of contributors make above the federal poverty degree.

Conti may solely speculate as to why the enlargement hasn’t caught on with extra residents. One issue could be that, in a quickly rising area, newcomers are merely unfamiliar with the county’s social companies. He additionally famous that moving into the plan requires a type of identification, proof of residency, a listing of belongings and, for the employed, earnings data. About 1,200 folks a month start the applying course of, however many don’t comply with by way of.

Given that many who stand to profit are members of communities which have traditionally suffered from institutional neglect, he added, there “may be a basic mistrust of county government.”

The plan already gleans contributors by way of social welfare occasions, outreach by way of regulation enforcement companies and the county jail, in addition to the health care suppliers that make up the plan’s 36-facility community. Conti mentioned his company is working with the county’s communications division to determine find out how to goal teams that aren’t benefiting from the plan.

“It’s our attempt to try to level the playing field when it comes to access to health care,” he mentioned. “It’s not a total solution. But for now, this is probably a better place to be if people take advantage of it.”

How to get assist

To get extra info or apply for the health care plan, go surfing to https://tbtim.es/hillshealthcare or in individual to a Tampa Family Health Center or Suncoast Community Health Center.