Florida Healthcare Crisis Pushes Seniors to Their Limits: 'I Need To Eat'

As Florida's senior population ages, health insurance costs are becoming out of reach for a growing number of residents.

Sarah, a 65-year-old Florida resident who wishes to use an alias, said she is on a fixed income and she has no idea how she is going to be able to afford healthcare.

"I was informed that I have to buy a prescription plan and if I do not, I will be penalized," Sarah told Newsweek.

While Sarah, who is eligible for Medicare this year, has some health issues, she is currently not on any medication. She also uses her entire Social Security check on rent each month and is acutely aware that if she has to pay for health coverage, she won't be able to afford any other bills.

"I need to eat," Sarah said. "It seems to me that we have paid into Social Security and Medicare for most of our entire working careers, why would we have to be so in debt, in our golden years?"

It's a question many seniors are asking as inflation remains high and many everyday necessities become difficult to afford during retirement, and it's likely the problem will only get worse in the year ahead.

The average cost of health insurance premiums in Florida is expected to rise this year to $613 per month from $599 per month in 2023. That is $7,188 a year in 2023 to $7,356 in 2024, according to data from ValuePenguin.

This is substantially higher than the average nationwide, which is $7,008 in health insurance premiums in 2024, data shows.

"Why isn't this country trying to have free healthcare for all? We are the only country who is paying large sums of money to insurance companies as well as the government," Sarah said. "If the rich want to have better healthcare, they can just pay extra for it."

To date, Florida's insurance market has been relatively dominated by a few major insurers, keeping prices high. Seniors are also more prone to health conditions, which drive up their rates even more.

"A state with an older population will have a higher need for medical facilities and medical professionals and will have higher total costs associated with medical care," Louise Norris, a health policy analyst for healthinsurance.org, told Newsweek.

Combine that with the fact that Florida is one of only a few states that has not yet expanded Medicaid and taken advantage of federal funding and you end up with many seniors struggling to afford life-saving healthcare.

Florida also experienced an uptick in its population across the board in the aftermath of the pandemic, which saw many remote workers relocate to states with cheaper costs of living and no income tax.

The state is currently home to 22.6 million people, but it saw major growth between 2010 and 2022. The overall population spiked by 18 percent, with adults aged 60 to 69 forming the largest group of new residents.

And within the next few years, the surge is likely to continue, with some analysts predicting the state will grow by nearly 300,000 annually in the next five years.

"We've seen this coming for a while now; and since Covid, the influx of new residents in Florida has created greater demand for service providers increasing labor and maxing out capacity," Brandon Selfors, the CEO of Bridge Life Settlement Brokers, told Newsweek.

All seniors receiving Social Security benefits saw a cost-of-living increase of 3.2 percent, but many don't feel like it's enough to keep in line with surging food, gas and housing prices. This escalates the healthcare crisis for seniors in Florida.

Potential Change Ahead

Amid all the ongoing concerns, Florida is considering implementing changes to its healthcare system, and more seniors could benefit down the line.

Specifically, voters will get a chance to decide on Medicaid expansion on the state ballot in 2026. If approved, the Medicaid expansion would see millions of residents who don't presently qualify for the program gain coverage.

Currently, only pregnant women and parents with minor children qualify, and the income requirements are strict. Individuals must make less than $12,828 per year and a couple filing jointly must make less than $17,352 per year.

"With more 1.4 million Floridians missing out on essential care that this expansion would provide, the need to bring this policy across the finish line has never been greater," Jake Flaherty, campaign manager for the program's coalition Florida Decides Healthcare, said in a press conference.

If it goes into effect, Medicaid would be offered to eligible adults making at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line. For 2024, that would be $20,782 for individuals and $35,631 for a family of three, Flaherty said.