Florida's affordability squeeze is hitting Floridians in more places than the housing market. For many residents, one of the newest pain points is health insurance, which has become both harder to keep and more expensive to use.
That burden is especially heavy for families already stretching to pay for rent, groceries, and electricity.
Here's what to know
After enhanced ACA subsidies expired, Florida recorded the nation's sharpest drop in marketplace enrollment, according to The Boca Raton Tribune. About 440,000 Floridians left those plans, and experts believe many of them are now uninsured.
Nearly 4 million people in the state still receive ACA coverage, but keeping it has become significantly more expensive. KFF data showed average premiums have climbed 58%, and many consumers are moving into thinner plans with higher deductibles, which can mean much larger out-of-pocket bills later.
Florida State University applied economics and urban policy professor Sam Staley, who also directs the DeVoe L. Moore Center, said the affordability problem extends far past housing alone.
"Housing affordability is just the tip of the iceberg, especially for those in the lower ends of the income bracket and for families struggling near minimum wage," he said.
Those facing the biggest hit from rising insurance costs are often people least likely to get coverage through work, including part-time employees, gig workers, self-employed people, and workers at small businesses.
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More background
The affordability crunch goes beyond health coverage. Federal SNAP cuts have pushed more than 500,000 Floridians off food assistance, while roughly 2.3 million people in the state still receive benefits.
Food prices have offered little relief. Average grocery spending in Florida is about $6,362 a year, or roughly $122.34 a week, making it harder for families to manage daily living expenses.
Utility costs are adding still more pressure. A survey showed that one in five low-income Florida households regularly shut off air conditioning at night to save money despite the summer heat. Families earning $50,000 or less average 11 nights each month without A/C.
Holly Bullard, chief strategy and development officer at the Florida Policy Institute, summed up the trend this way: "Florida's economy is growing more and more unequal."
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What can be done?
Some of the most impactful solutions would need to happen at the policy level, including stronger support for health coverage, protections for food assistance, and efforts to make everyday essentials more affordable. Food banks are also filling some gaps by helping people with applications and increasing food supplies through partnerships with farmers and stores.
Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save on energy costs, and go off-grid. It can also help keep essential appliances running when extreme weather or grid strain knocks out power. Readers can explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
EnergySage's free services can also help households make smarter long-term decisions about energy costs. With EnergySage's help, the average person can save up to $10,000 on solar purchases and installations. EnergySage's solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, along with details on solar panel incentives for each state; together, these resources can help readers get the best price for rooftop solar panels and access available incentives.
State Rep. Anna Eskamani, an Orlando Democrat, captured the pressure many families are feeling clearly: "Floridians cannot afford Florida right now."
Staley offered an even blunter assessment: "Even with two earners, there's a real problem."
Where can I learn more?
Florida's health coverage squeeze is part of a wider insurance affordability problem affecting households nationwide. Here are a few examples of how rising premiums and climate-related risks are making basic coverage harder to afford.
• Across the U.S., rising insurance rates are forcing more households to rethink basic budgets.
• In Oklahoma, homeowners insurance costs have climbed so high that routine coverage strains family finances.
• In Oregon, soaring home insurance costs are rattling homeowners who once considered coverage affordable.
Insurance costs can pile up on top of the same budget pressures already squeezing Floridians. The loss of affordable health coverage can throw a household even further off balance.
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