Health insurance for Florida families

Who counts in your household

For a Marketplace plan, your household is your tax household. That is usually you, your spouse if you file taxes together, and anyone you claim as a dependent. Married couples generally need to file a joint return to get a tax credit.

Household income is the combined income of everyone in that tax household who has to file a return. A teenager with a small summer job usually doesn't count, because they aren't required to file. If your child earns enough that they must file, their income goes in too.

Household size matters as much as income. The poverty level goes up with each person, so the same paycheck stretches further in a bigger family. A family of four reaches 400% of the poverty level at $132,000 of income, compared with $63,840 for one person.

Source: HHS poverty guidelines for 2026, used for 2027 coverage

Your tax credit is based on where your household lands in this table. Above 400% there is no credit for 2027 under the law as it stands in October 2026.

When one parent has job coverage

Many families have one parent with insurance at work and wonder if the rest of the family can buy on the Marketplace. Sometimes they can, with a tax credit.

Since 2023 the rules look at what the job's family coverage would cost, not just the worker's own coverage. If adding your spouse and kids to the work plan would cost too much of your household income, they may qualify for a credit on a Marketplace plan even when the worker's own coverage counts as affordable. The Marketplace application asks about the job offer and figures this out for you.

Adding a baby

Having a baby or adopting a child is a qualifying life event. You get a Special Enrollment Period, usually 60 days, to add the child or to switch plans. Coverage for a newborn can start on the day of birth, so the hospital stay and first checkups are covered once you enroll.

Don't wait until the last week. Babies need doctor visits early, and getting the plan in place sooner keeps the bills simple. Update your household size and income at the same time, because a bigger household can change your tax credit.

All ACA plans cover maternity and newborn care as essential health benefits. That is one of the big reasons to pick an ACA plan if a pregnancy is possible.

Florida KidCare for children

Florida KidCare is the state's health coverage for children under 19. Depending on household income, a child may qualify for Medicaid or for another KidCare program, and some families pay a small monthly premium. You can apply any time of year. There is no enrollment window.

It is common for the parents to be on a Marketplace plan while the kids are on KidCare. If a child qualifies for KidCare or Medicaid, that child generally can't get a Marketplace tax credit, so the Marketplace application checks for this and can pass your children's information to the state.

Florida did not expand Medicaid, so the rules for adults are much tighter than for children. A parent may not qualify for Medicaid even when the kids do. Adults below 100% of the poverty level often fall into a coverage gap with no tax credit either. You can check Medicaid eligibility at ACCESS Florida.

Family deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums

A family ACA plan usually has two numbers for the deductible: an amount for each person and a total for the family. When one person reaches their own amount, the plan starts paying its share for that person. When the family as a whole reaches the family total, the plan pays its share for everyone, even people who used little care.

The yearly out-of-pocket maximum works the same way, with a per person limit and a family limit. Once you hit it, covered care in network costs nothing more for the rest of the plan year. That cap is what protects a family from a really bad year.

Some care costs nothing before the deductible. Preventive care, like well child checkups and vaccines, is free in network on every ACA plan. Pediatric care is one of the essential health benefits.

If your income is between 100% and 250% of the poverty level, look at Silver first. Only Silver plans come with cost-sharing reductions, which lower the deductible and copays for the whole family. Bronze plans pay about 60% of costs on average and Silver about 70%, before those extra savings. Our page on Obamacare in Florida explains the metal levels.

Fixed indemnity for families: priced per person

UnitedHealthcare Health ProtectorGuard (HPG) is fixed indemnity insurance. It pays set cash amounts per service, for example $80 per doctor visit and $100 for one wellness exam per person each year on Select 2000. Prices are set per person, by age, sex and tobacco use. Our quote form prices the applicant only, so the HPG number you see is for you alone. Ask a licensed agent or the chat if you want to price other family members.

Be careful with HPG for a family. It has no out-of-pocket maximum, is not minimum essential coverage, uses health questions, and doesn't cover counseling visits the way ACA plans must. It doesn't work like an ACA plan for maternity or a child's ongoing condition either, so check the brochure. Most families get more protection from an ACA plan, with kids on KidCare when they qualify. See ACA vs fixed indemnity for the side by side.

Getting a family quote

On the quote form, enter the household size of your whole tax household and your household's expected income for the year. The ACA prices show your estimated credit already taken off. No account and no phone number are needed. Licensed agents help for free, and when you are ready you finish the Marketplace application on HealthSherpa, a private enrollment site connected to the federal Marketplace. We are not a government website. Coverage starting January 1 means enrolling by December 15 during Open Enrollment.