Health Options, Inc. in Florida
Health Options, Inc. is the legal entity behind Florida Blue HMO. If you have a myBlue or BlueCare plan, this is the company on your policy. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, part of GuideWell.
Who is Health Options, Inc.?
Most people looking up Health Options, Inc. found the name on paperwork and wondered who it is. It is the HMO arm of Florida Blue. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida runs two separate licensed entities: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. writes the PPO and EPO products under the Florida Blue name, and Health Options, Inc., doing business as Florida Blue HMO, writes the HMO products. Both sit under GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation.
Which plans that means. The HMO entity is behind myBlue and BlueCare. Those are the plans with a required primary care doctor, referrals for specialists, and a narrower but cheaper network. The BlueCare network runs to more than 29,000 doctors and 231 hospitals across the state.
Why the split matters to you. Because they are two entities, a provider can be in-network on Florida Blue PPO and out of network on Florida Blue HMO, or the reverse. Never assume your doctor takes both. Check the specific plan, not just the Florida Blue name, and call us at (855) 847-7020 if you want us to check it for you.
The Cheaper Blue
HMO plans generally price below the Florida Blue PPO plans. You trade network breadth and referral freedom for a lower premium.
A Doctor Who Quarterbacks
You choose a primary care physician who coordinates referrals. For people who want someone steering, that is a feature, not a restriction.
Florida Blue Behind It
The largest health insurer in Florida, with the statewide provider relationships and the local service centers that come with it.
Two Networks, One Brand
Florida Blue PPO and Florida Blue HMO are separate entities with separate networks. Verify your doctor against the exact plan.
Why Choose Florida Blue HMO?
Where the HMO side is the better buy, and where it is not.
BlueCare Network
Over 29,000 doctors and 231 hospitals. Narrower than the PPO, but far from thin, and it covers most of the state.
Premiums Below the PPO
The HMO plans are the value tier of the Florida Blue lineup, which is why they dominate the subsidised marketplace segment.
Florida Blue Centers
Walk-in retail centers across the state for enrollment help, billing questions and wellness programs, which most carriers do not offer at all.
Full ACA Coverage
Marketplace HMO plans cover all ten essential health benefits and cannot decline you or price you up for a pre-existing condition.
Florida Blue HMO Plans
The plans written under the Health Options, Inc. entity.
myBlue
Florida Blue's lowest-cost HMO, built around a tight primary care network. The most common subsidised marketplace pick in the state.
- ✓Lowest premium Florida Blue tier
- ✓Required primary care doctor
- ✓Referrals for specialists
- ✓$0 preventive care
- ✓Narrowest of the Blue networks
BlueCare
The mid-tier HMO. More doctors and hospitals than myBlue while staying below PPO pricing.
- ✓29,000+ doctors, 231 hospitals
- ✓Primary care doctor required
- ✓Broader than myBlue
- ✓Statewide coverage
- ✓Individual and group versions
Group HMO
Employer HMO coverage written on the same Health Options entity, for Florida businesses managing premium cost.
- ✓Small and large group plans
- ✓Same BlueCare network
- ✓Lower cost than group PPO
- ✓Florida Blue service centers
- ✓Quoted by group size
Explore Other Florida Carriers
We work with all major carriers. Compare them side-by-side to find your best fit.
Check Your Doctor Before You Enroll
The single most common mistake with Florida Blue is assuming the HMO and the PPO share a network. They do not. Send us your doctors and your prescriptions and we will verify them against the exact plan before you sign anything.