Two public health systems in Florida’s Broward County have launched an expansion into the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace amid a hectic open enrollment season and contract disputes with the state’s largest payer.
Hollywood-based Memorial Healthcare System and Fort Lauderdale-based Broward Health together span 11 hospitals in southern Florida. The systems co-own Community Care Plan, which for 25 years has offered Medicaid and the Florida Healthy Kids program coverage, as well as employee health plans.
A newly launched division of Community Care Plan, called 22 Health, will add to the nonprofit's offerings. According to an announcement and the division’s website, 22 Health is offering bronze, silver and gold health plans for the coming enrollment year.
Among the selling points outlined by 22 Health: in-network care from Memorial Healthcare and Broward Health facilities, retail and mail-order pharmacy access, multilingual support services and special programs such as case management and chronic condition management. Its website also highlights $0 monthly premiums for “many” of its members.
“By creating 22 Health, we are able to extend direct, streamlined access to an extensive network of high-quality providers and exceptional health care services to individuals and families that are self-employed, are between jobs, or their employers don’t offer health insurance,” Jessica Lerner, president and CEO of 22 Health, said in the launch announcement.
For this year’s ACA marketplace open enrollment, which began on Nov. 1, there are 4.7 million sign ups statewide for coverage on the exchanges. Within Broward County, there are 16 carriers offering 196 plan options.
Notably, 65 of those competing plans are offered by Florida Blue, with which 22 Health’s parent systems went out of network earlier this year amid negotiations the organizations say are still ongoing. Broward Health went out of network on July 1, while Memorial Healthcare went out of network on Sept. 1.
Webpages on the negotiations hosted by Florida Blue said both providers had demanded “unreasonable and excessive rates which jeopardize how much [members will] pay and how [members] access care.” From Broward Health, that included a demand for a 60% increase over three years, Florida Blue said.
Broward Health, in a FAQ on the dispute, said it is “seeking rates that are comparable to what [Florida Blue reimburses] other healthcare providers in South Florida and comparable to rates provided by other insurance companies for the same services.” Messaging from Memorial Healthcare has encouraged those affected to explore other coverage during open enrollment, including on the ACA marketplace.
“Here's something to consider: If you or a loved one couldn’t afford the cost of their services, do you think Florida Blue would step up for your family, to the detriment of their profits, to ensure they were cared for?” wrote Memorial Healthcare pediatric surgeon Holly Neville, M.D., in a “Because that’s something we’ve done at Memorial Healthcare System for more than 70 years" post.
Financial pressures squeezing providers and insurers alike have laid the groundwork for high-profile contract negotiation breakdowns throughout 2025. 22 Health has been in development at Community Care Plan for the past three years, a spokeswoman told the Florida Sun-Sentinel.
22 Health’s launch also lands amid a particularly tumultuous enrollment period for the ACA marketplaces. Sign-ups this year come under the shadow of a lengthy government shutdown in which an extension to enhanced premium tax credits for the exchanges is a central issue for lawmakers.
Price pressures also have insurers increasing premiums by an average of 26%, per KFF, and no deal on an extension could see an average monthly premium increase of about 114% spread across the 22 million enrollees nationwide who receive some kind of subsidy. Enrollees in Florida are expected to weather stiffer increases should the subsidies expire on Dec. 31.