Bright Health insurer will discontinue individual and family coverage in Florida

Bright Health will discontinue offering its health plans in 2023 in Affordable Care Act markets across the country, including Florida.

About 300,000 people in the state will be affected, with the majority of them in South Florida.

The retreat from the individual and family plans in nine states comes just ahead of the Obamacare open enrollment period, which begins Nov. 1.

The insurer issued a news release saying it would continue to offer coverage for customers through the end of the year but will pull their coverage starting Jan. 1.

“Members enrolled in impacted plans will receive discontinuation letters,” Bright Health said. There are tools and resources at Healthcare.gov that can assist members in choosing a new plan, the insurer noted.

“Floridians can go on online and enroll in a different plan,” said Louise Norris, a health policy analyst for healthinsurance.org. “My biggest advice is make sure you actively are involved in picking a new plan. Don’t let the marketplace pick a plan for you.”

Bright Health also is ending all its Medicare Advantage plans outside of California and Florida.

A spokesman for Bright Health said the insurer will continue to offer Medicare Advantage plans in 11 Florida counties: Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Pasco, Volusia, Orange, Seminole, Sarasota. Osceola, Lake and Sumter.

Bright Health announced the changes are aimed at seeking profitable growth at much lower risk.